Early Crossing
by Lady Elisabeth
Summary: The love story of the hanyou and the miko is familiar to many. However, when a grievous tragedy forces Kagome's early arrival in the Feudal Era, the ramifications extend farther than either of the two fated lovers will perhaps ever realize... InuKag.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

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><p><strong>Chapter One<strong>

Inuyasha is excited. He and his mother are going on an adventure!

At first he doesn't want to wake up, because it's late late and he was sleepy. But then Mother says that they were leaving to go on a long trip, that they might not come back, and suddenly the little hanyou is wide awake. He thinks he remembers this happening before, when he was very very little, but it's hard to remember back so many years.

He grabs his little bag and follows his mother out into the dark night. For some reason, she looks like she's trying to be sneaky. Inuyasha doesn't know why, but he decides it would be best if he played along.

He's been learning to do this a lot lately. Even though he still doesn't understand some things. Like when village women whisper behind Mother's back. They think he can't hear, but he does. Strange words often reach his ears. The one he hears the most is "half-breed". He doesn't know what all of them mean, but he knows they are bad words. Inuyasha knows better than to ask his mother what a "half-breed" is.

He also doesn't understand why the boys throw rocks at him sometimes. They call him "hanyou"- except they say it like an insult, a dirty name, which confuses Inuyasha. When his mother calls him her "little hanyou", she always says it in the most gentle way, as if she's talking about a precious treasure.

Inuyasha knows he's a half demon. Every night, Mother tells him stories of his father, the great inu-youkai, Inutaisho, and how brave and powerful he was. About how much he loved her and his son. She tells him never to hate his father, never ever, because he died protecting him. "You were just a newborn, and he saved your life," she had said, gently touching his nose.

"But, Mother," Inuyasha had complained, "if Father was so strong, then why did he die?" He couldn't grasp the concept.

She had given him a sad smile, and drawn him into her lap. Stroking his little white ears, she had replied, "Because Inuyasha, even the best warriors aren't invincible."

He always loved it when she stroked his ears like that.

Inuyasha follows his mother silently. By now, he's learned how to move without making a sound. He is very proud of this as he and Mother creep out of the village, hiding in the shadows, moving swiftly and cautiously. He pretends he is playing a game, where if he makes a noise or shows his fear, then he's out.

He's used to this game. He's played it a lot.

Inuyasha is so caught up in trying to be quiet that he almost misses the fear on his mother's face. Almost. He looks at her, a frown creasing his troubled face. When Mother is afraid, something is wrong. She's always so brave. He wishes he could be as brave as her.

"Mother, why are you scared?" he whispers.

She looks down at him, trying to hide her worry behind a smile, for his sake. "I'm not scared, just excited," she tells him, as memories of angry men and suspicious women gathering in the streets, whispering, planning, surface in her mind.

Inuyasha knows she's lying, but she hushes him before he can say any more. "Come," she tells him, taking his hand and leading him out of the village and into the surrounding forest. "We're going to a special village this time. It has a sacred well."

A sacred well? Inuyasha is interested and curious, and all thoughts of fear leave his mind as they take cover under the safety of the trees.

~/~/~

He wonders where they're going. They've been walking for _hours, _and already the sky is lightening. Dawn is coming soon.

Inuyasha yawns. Even though he has more stamina and strength than most human children, he is tired. He's spent the whole night trudging along after his mother, trying to decide whether or not to ask about why she's chosen the middle of the night to leave their home and move. Remembering the look of fear on her beautiful features, he decides against it.

"Mother, when are we going to stop?" he asks instead, sleepy.

"Not too much longer," she answers, scooping him up and carrying him on her hip. "The village is not far ahead."

"How long will we be staying?" he asks innocently, rubbing his eyes as he struggles to stay awake.

"I don't know, Inuyasha," she replies. "A while."

He has to fight back another yawn. Mother notices anyway. She always does.

"Go to sleep," she sing-songs, and starts to sing him a lullaby as they walk. "I'm right here, so sleep, my little hanyou."

The endearing nickname brings him comfort as he snuggles into her shoulder and drifts into unconsciousness.

~/~/~

"Mother!"

Inuyasha wakes up breathing hard, his nightmare already fading into an uncomprehending haze in the dark recesses of his mind. The first thing he notices is that he's lying on the floor, on a mat with a blanket draped over him. He searches around the unfamiliar room wildly until he sees his mother, also asleep, lying across the small space by the wall.

He can breathe again. His pounding heart slows a little.

The second thing he notices is the smell of smoke. He thinks this is strange. There was no fire in their hut last night.

However, the scent is faint but there, and he smells smoke, tears, and an odd mix of flowery stuff that he hasn't ever smelled before. It's coming from outside, from the forest. He thinks he can almost hear the echoes of someone crying, if he listens. The fuzzy images from his nightmare dance at the edges of his memory, making him strain hard to remember. He wonders if they have anything to do with the odd urge he has to go investigate.

Inuyasha gets up and goes to the door. He considers following the funny feeling he has, to go find the source of all the confusing smells and sounds. He glances back at his sleeping mother once, wondering if he should tell her he's going out.

She's so beautiful when she's asleep. He decides that she is the prettiest, most wonderful mother in the world.

He shakes his head. No. She's tired. He shouldn't wake her up.

Inuyasha leaves the little hut and steps out into a village just waking up. The sun isn't far over the horizon, and people are beginning their morning routines. He attracts a few curious stares, but as the gossip has gotten around a little, they don't seem too shocked.

He doesn't care, as long as no one throws rocks at him again. That makes him angry.

He follows his nose, eventually breaking into a run, the trail leading him to the forest that he and his mother had just traveled through on their journey. The stink of smoke mixed with the fragrance of fresh flowers is stronger now, traveling on the breeze towards him. Inuyasha can definitely hear someone crying now. He's close; he can feel it.

But to what?

He thinks it might be a little girl that's crying. The voice is high pitched and a little muffled, and punctuated by the occasional murmur of "mama". Inuyasha's sensitive ears can pick up more and more the farther he runs.

Before long, he comes upon a relatively small, open clearing. And off to the side stands an old wooden well.

He can practically feel the sacred energy radiating from the worn object. It feels ageless to him, as if time doesn't control it. He remembers what Mother said about a sacred well in the village. _This must be it. _

Inuyasha almost forgets about finding the crying little girl in his sudden curiosity. Though his mother has warned him many times about staying away from miko and sacred objects in general, he thinks that just _looking_ at the well might be okay. _I won't touch it, _he tells himself as he draws in closer. _I just want a closer look. _His youkai is screaming a warning at him, his inborn fear of purification rising up with the nearness of the well. His youkai is telling him to run away with everything it has- but the human in him knows, for some Kami-only-knows reason, that he needs to continue.

The little hanyou is within reaching distance of the well when he hears it.

Crying. From inside the well.

He can smell the tears and the smoke and the flowers strongly now. Without realizing it, he has been drawn in by the overpowering scent- of _her. _He knows it now- there's a little girl in there, and she's upset.

Almost afraid, Inuyasha slowly looks down into the dry well. And sees a pair of very frightened, very lonely chocolate brown eyes looking back up at him.

The girl looks a little younger than him. She is barefoot and wears unfamiliar clothes, some sort of shirt that is too big for her and soft looking... shorts?

He is shocked. All the little girls _he'd _ever seen in summer had been wearing lightweight kimonos. He thinks that his mother would complain about the sort of mother that would let their little girl run around dressed like that. But the wondering and the surprise are fleeting, because she is staring at him and he knows what is about to happen. He tenses in anticipation of the ear-splitting scream he knows is about to pierce the air, his heart sinking.

He expects a lot of things in that moment. The normal reactions little human children have when they first catch sight of a hanyou.

Shock. Fear. Disgust. Accusations. Mostly fear.

He certainly isn't prepared for what happens next.

The little girl stares at him, taking in his long white hair and twitching dog ears, his golden eyes, tiny fangs, and sharp claws... and her face brightens with the widest, most beautiful smile Inuyasha has ever seen. Her innocent brown eyes stare into his amber ones, and looking back on it later, he thinks that the wordless conversation they have right then is more expressive than any words they will ever say afterwards.

"I'm Kagome," the little girl says in a childish voice, still hiccuping a little from her tears. "Can you help me?"

~/~/~

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><p>Author's Note: Yes, I've decided to actually attempt a chaptered Inuyasha fanfic. This idea literally came to me out of a dream- back in June, I was in Colorado with my friend, and I woke up early and randomly decided to write this. I didn't want to post it until I'd fixed F&amp;B, however. Hopefully the idea is at least semi-original. I haven't really seen too many like this, so I think it might be.<p>

Updates will be sporadic. Not sure whether or not this is considered a drabble series. But don't expect a lot of drama or length in the chapters- I'm just writing this for fun. ;) Funny situations will be abundant, I'm expecting.

Anyway. I hope you read and enjoy. Reviews are greatly appreciated(:

_Lady E_


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

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><p><strong>Chapter Two<strong>

Kagome is having a lovely dream.

She is in her room, and her daddy is hugging her. He is talking to her, just like he did when she was a baby, and she giggles with enjoyment. All around them are beautiful white clouds.

"Daddy, are we in heaven?" she asks.

"Why would we be, sweetheart?" His brown eyes, copied into her face, sparkle with a teasing light.

"Well, that's where Mama said you were going, when you left," she explains. "She said one day we'd go and see you there, but that we had to wait a long long time. Daddy, what's heaven?"

Her daddy smiles at her, a little sad now.

"Heaven is the place where we're together, Kagome."

She doesn't exactly understand what that means, but she thinks that if her daddy says so, it must be true.

She wants to stay here forever with him. Except now the lovely white clouds are turning to mist, and the world is beginning to smell horrible... Eyes closed, beginning to retch, the originally gentle fog invades, stinging, hurting.

Her daddy's face disappears, and she cries out in terror.

"Daddy!"

A loud noise, cutting through the darkness of closed eyes and commanding... commanding something...

"Kagome! _Kagome! _Wake up!"

~/~/~

Kagome opens her eyes suddenly, and coughs.

The first thing she notices is the smoke. It's everywhere, invading her eyes, nose, mouth, stinging horribly. It's hard to breathe. She covers her mouth with the sheet instinctively, and coughs again. "Mama?" she whispers hoarsely.

Her mother is kneeling by the bed, a cloth over her mouth and nose. She is bent over Kagome, insistently shaking her daughter and calling her name. Kagome is scared. She hasn't ever seen her mama look this panicked before.

"Kagome," her mama says urgently, "there's a fire. It's very, _very _dangerous. The fire department isn't here yet, and it might take them awhile." Her voice is muffled from the cloth she has over her face.

She nods her understanding, eyes wide with fright, though still half asleep. It seems as if she's woken up from one nightmare into another. "I don't know how it started yet- neither does Jii-chan. But the important thing is that you have to get out, darling."

"What about you?" Kagome asks, her lower lip beginning to quiver. "Aren't you coming, Mama?"

"I will, dear," her mother placates her. She smiles tightly. It doesn't reach her eyes. "But first I've got to get Souta. He's not big enough to run yet, like you, remember? And then there's Jii-chan. He'll need help getting out too.

"But sweetie, I need you to _run, _as fast as you can, out of the house. Okay?"

Kagome nods again, eyes determined, though tears are running down her cheeks in little rivulets. "Okay." Her brown eyes, so like her daddy's, look at her mother with trust and love. Her mama bites her lip, a hand reaching out to stroke Kagome's hair.

"You'll be okay, darling. I promise."

Kagome takes a deep breath. She wants to be strong, like Mama. But the tears still won't stop. She wipes at them angrily.

"You remember where the safe place we talked about is?" her mama asks as she helps her daughter out of bed. "Run to the well house, and _stay there, _no matter what. That's very important. No matter what happens. No, no time for shoes."

Kagome hugs her mother tightly. "Bye, Mama."

Her mama looks like she wants to cry, too. "Bye, Kagome. I love you."

"Love you too." After a final kiss, her mother pushes Kagome towards the door and turns to the crib where Souta is beginning to wake and fuss at the smoke.

"Go! To the well house! Be safe!"

~/~/~

Kagome runs down the stairs as fast as her legs will carry her through the ever-thickening smoke. She slips twice, coughing too hard to see where she's going. Her knees and palms sting from the impact. But the smoke stings worse.

She thinks there is nothing worse than being turned around in a choking cloud of smoke. She can't breathe, can't breathe, and despite her best intentions to be brave, she starts to panic. She has to find air, has to get oxygen, so desperately. She feels sick, like she's going to throw up.

Eventually, she makes it to the front door. The temperature has been steadily rising ever since she's woken up, and now intense heat burns at her back. She's never been able to figure out where the fire is, exactly, but she knows enough to avoid the source of the heat.

The seven-year-old opens the front door, eyes nearly shut from the constant, desperate cough that periodically racks her small body in her struggle to get breathable air, and dashes out of the house, smoke pouring out behind her. She can't see- her eyes hurt too much to open them. But her feet know the path to the old well house like her fingers know her handwriting, and almost before she knows it, her outstretched arms hit wood. She fumbles for the door, and finds the handle in a moment. Throwing herself inside, she slams the door behind her, breathing in pure, sweet air gratefully, her panic slowly receding.

Kagome takes deep, shuddering breaths, sliding down the shut door onto the floor, hugging her knees to her chest. Tears are sliding down her face, making muddy rivers in the dirt and smoke that cover her features. She closes her eyes, remembering her daddy's face in her dream, holding on to it with everything she has in her aloneness. The remembered sensations of safety, warmth, and love wrap around her frightened heart and mind and soothe the loneliness. She thinks she can still feel him holding her.

_Heaven is where we're together, Kagome._

Several hundred fearful heartbeats later, Kagome calms down enough to open her eyes and stand on shaking legs. The well house is dim and shadowy. She cracks the door and peeks back out, filled with a frightened curiosity as to what is happening to her home. She also hopes she might see her mama, with Souta and Jii-chan, coming to safety.

She sees no one. Only angry flames, consuming, greedy, claiming what matters most to her in their orange, fiery jaws. The sight burns itself into her retinas. She is transfixed by horror.

She will never, ever forget this night.

As soon as the hypnotizing spell of impending loss breaks and she regains control over her feet, Kagome quickly escapes into the cool well house, shutting out the nightmare outside, trying to ignore the worries that her mama might not come, the wondering and the fearing about what was taking so long. She trips backward in her haste and collapses on the ground, her back to the well, feeling a sob come from deep within her chest. She tries to hum a song she has heard her mama sing before, the image of those peaceful white clouds, the smiling face of her father, always at the forefront of her mind.

After several hours, of waiting and worrying and hoping and humming, though to her it may as well have been several days, Kagome hears a loud, shrill siren blaring outside. It is soon followed by others, equally ear-splitting and terrifying. She keeps quiet, afraid. Hiding. The crackling of the hungry flames and loud crashes every time another part of the house caves in accompanies the yelling voices and screaming alarms.

The little girl shrinks down, afraid of the strange sirens and unfamiliar men. _Mama said she'd come, _she thinks desperately. _Mama said run to the well house. I'm not s'posed to leave. _She hears footsteps, heavy boots tamping down the dirt, coming closer. Kagome doesn't know who it is, but she can sense that they will take her to someplace else. Adults are never content to leave her where she is- they're always picking her up and leading her to some different place every time they see her alone. Her panic returns anew.

_I have to stay where Mama can find me! _ Kagome wildly looks around for a good place to hide. The old building is filled with shadows, but unfortunately not much else. Rather unwillingly, her eyes fall on the well.

Reluctantly, she peers inside. It's dark and cold, and so very deep. All this amounts to one thing to the already frightened child: it's scary in there! She draws back quickly.

But mama had said to run to the old well. That meant it was safe. And no _way _is Kagome leaving a place Mama said was safe.

She cautiously peeks down the dark, dry well shaft again. She doesn't have much time. The boots are getting closer now, voices ringing out, much too near. "Search for any survivors!"

Her breath hitches at "survivors". Her frozen brain moves slowly, the logic sluggishly working out in her head. For there to be survivors, there has to be...

No! Mama, Souta, Jii-chan- they're all safe! They must be. Mama _said _they would be. She _did. _

And Kagome trusts Mama.

She perches on the edge of the well, swinging her legs over the side so that they dangle down into the deep hole, measuring the distance down with her eyes fearfully. If she looks close, she can just see the bottom through the gloom.

The girl gathers her courage. Just as a rough pounding begins on the door of the well house, she squeezes her eyes shut, pushes herself off the edge, and braces herself...

...for an impact that never comes.

~/~/~

When her feet do not immediately hit packed dirt, and her legs don't snap in two like she'd thought they would, Kagome opens her eyes cautiously.

She is quickly blinded by bright blue lights, floating around her as she is suspended, weightless.

Her mouth opens, but no sound comes out. She is paralyzed with astonishment, her eyes uncomprehending. The blue lights sparkle and shine, lighting the featureless landscape and entrancing the young girl. Then, as quickly as they appeared, they are gone, and her feet come to rest on solid earth.

Kagome falls onto her knees, eyes wide. _Did that really just happen? _She closes her eyes again, listening for the sirens, for the men coming into the well house. The fear, which had disappeared at the surprise of the lights, now begins to return.

Silence.

The small girl looks up, confused. Where is all the commotion, the panic? She doesn't understand a whole lot yet, but she thinks she knows that things can't just disappear like that.

So when her eyes see a sky with fading, tired stars above the opening of the well, she thinks that she's gone crazy.

Where on earth is the roof?

Kagome looks around her, bewildered. Vines cover the inside of the well, and lots of leaves are all over the ground. What? How are dead leaves in the well? Shouldn't the roof have kept them out?

But then again, there was the problem of the roof disappearing.

She wonders what to do, now that the sirens and scary men are gone. If she waits long enough, will Mama come and get her? She hopes so, because she doesn't think she can climb out on her own. The walls look so very high, and she's so tired now that the danger seems to have passed.

She is afraid, though. Afraid of climbing and falling, of going to sleep and no one ever finding her. Of never seeing her family again. She can't seem to get the word 'survivors' out of her mind.

Kagome hasn't been in the well long before she starts to get cold. Really cold. She is losing hope that Mama will come get her, because she thinks that surely, surely if Mama was okay then she would have found her by now. She wouldn't abandon her by choice, which... which must mean...

Tears start to roll down Kagome's face once more, and she begins to quietly sob. She wants to be brave, she really does- but it's so difficult when she's alone and cold and tired and thinking terrible, terrible things like this. Her father's face is forgotten in her hopelessness.

"Mama," she chokes out, quietly. She can't breathe, and it's like she's back in that terrible smoke, only worse. She thinks she'd almost rather be back in the fire with her mama than out here without her.

_Mama... Souta... Jii-chan... you're all right. You _are.

Kagome looks up, hoping to see a hint of the sun coming, and instead finds herself staring into a pair of amber eyes.

There is a boy peering at her over the side of the well. There is a boy looking at her over the side of the well. There is a boy. On the edge of the well. Looking at her.

..._what?_

Kagome's head is spinning wildly. She looks at the boy, who is also looking at her. She wonders what her face looks like at that moment. She really can't imagine, seeing as she seems unable to get past the fact that there is a boy, looking at her looking at him, at the top of the well.

…..._what?_

She takes him in, slowly. He has long, silvery hair, longer than any boy's she's ever seen. He also has a pair of funny little dog ears, twitching at the top of his head. His mouth is open slightly, revealing tiny, sharp teeth, and the way his head is tilted to the side reminds her of a small, confused, sleepy dog. His amber eyes hold her own, and they seem worried, almost afraid.

Strangely, she wants to giggle at the sight. She doesn't think much of all the odd aspects of his appearance. All she can seem to focus on are those adorable, twitching little dog ears, and suddenly all her fear and loneliness is forgotten as she tries not to laugh at the way his expression is so much like a concerned little puppy. A smile breaks over her face, and she stops crying as she watches the emotions play out over his face. She feels her heart lift.

She becomes aware that she hasn't said anything, and suddenly she doesn't want the silence to stay. So she says the only thing she can think of.

"I'm Kagome." Her voice is still a little shaky from her crying, but her smile still remains. She laughs a little inside at how that seems to confuse the puppy-boy further, making one ear flop over a little. "Can you help me?"

~/~/~

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><p>Author's Note: First and foremost: I forgot to thank a few people for giving me the inspiration to write this story! AH! I apologize profusely.<p>

I owe Like A Dove for her story "In the Same Candlelight" greatly- it's contributed to the style so much. **Please know that I am not in any way trying to copy you!** I got the idea for this story before I ever found yours. But thank you so much for writing it, it's helped me so much! So if any of y'all are Zuko/Katara fans, go check out her story. Cause it's amazing. Yeah. (:

And, of course, credit must go to Msmes for every one of my Inuyasha stories twofold; once for introducing me to the anime in the first place, and then for encouraging me with my writing. You are simply wonderful, my friend. XD I couldn't make it without you.

And as an aside- don't you just wanna die of cuteness when you think of Inuyasha as a little kid? ;)

I want to thank every one of my reviewers so far, as well. You have no idea how excited I get every time my email buzzes and it's one of y'all reviewing, favoriting, or adding me to alerts. I really appreciate it. (:

With that, I hope you've enjoyed, and please do review and tell me what you thought. I really do use the feedback, seeing as how I'm not very experienced in the Inuyasha category yet. Next update will either be in a few hours or next weekend. ;) That largely depends on you guys, by the way.

Thank y'all! And I apologize for the long A/N.

_Lady E_


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

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><p><strong>Chapter Three<strong>

Inuyasha is confused.

She shouldn't be happy to see him! She should be scared, distrustful, prejudiced. Like all the rest of the human children.

_Crazy girl. Doesn't she know I'm a hanyou?_

And now she was asking for his help? He cocks his head to the side, wondering what was so different about this small human girl. About this... Kagome.

He thinks that Kagome is a pretty name. Like his mother's name. Kagome and Izayoi. He decides that those are the two prettiest girl names he's ever heard. Maybe he will tell his mother about this girl when he gets home.

But first... what to do now? He thinks that he can't just leave her there.

_Why not? _Inuyasha tries to find an answer to this question, and can't find one that makes sense.

While he's stuck talking to himself, the girl- _Kagome, _he reminds himself- is becoming a little impatient. "Well? Aren't you going to tell me who you are?"

He is startled, looking back down at her. She has her hands on her hips and one eyebrow is raised. She is the perfect image of a spoiled princess, though her clothes ruin the effect somewhat. Then, out of the blue, Kagome starts to laugh.

She doubles over completely, her eyes closing and uncontrollable laughter coming out of her mouth. Inuyasha is affronted. How dare she laugh at him! He shifts uncomfortably when she looks up at him again only to have to bend over again as she sees his face.

"Hey!" he snaps. She still can't stop. "What are you laughing at, wench?"

The nickname comes out on a whim. He really doesn't even know what it means, only that he hears the village boys call the girls that sometimes when they're being particularly annoying and _girly. _It sounds right for her.

"You- your face-" she can't even finish a sentence. Inuyasha is getting madder and madder. "-puppy dog...ears-" She explodes again when she sees his angry expression, giggling uncontrollably.

"My name is Inuyasha, okay!" He's irritated now, and has half a mind to leave her there with her stupid giggling and big brown eyes.

_Girls. _

"Now quit laughing before I decide to just go home and leave you here! I bet you're not even strong enough to climb out on your own. Keh."

Kagome sobers immediately, looking up at him with wide eyes that turn fearful so fast his head is spinning. Tears begin to form, pooling in those unfairly huge and innocent brown eyes.

What? Now she's crying again? Inuyasha starts to panic. What is he supposed to do with a crying girl? Why is she doing this?

"P-please don't leave," she starts to whimper. Unconsciously, a low whine comes out of his throat as he looks at her desperate face. "I didn't mean to, I promise! Can you please help me?"

Inuyasha sighs. He can't understand her! She changes moods faster than he can keep up with. First she was making fun of him, which means he was supposed to make fun of her back! It's not fair for her to start crying out of the blue, and make him want to be nice and protect her.

...huh. He wants to protect her. That's new. Inuyasha is puzzled for a brief moment as he considers this. He's only ever wanted to keep his mother safe before. But then he has to answer her, because she's really starting to cry now.

"Hey, K-Kagome!" Her name gets stuck in his mouth. It feels funny. "D-don't cry!" He doesn't know what to do. He thinks that his mother is the one that does the comforting, not him. But Mother isn't here now. It's all up to him.

_Great._

"I'll help you!" _What does it take to get a girl to stop crying?_ He is relieved when she looks up at his words, her sobs stopping abruptly.

"You...you will?" Kagome's eyes are shining now, looking at him like he's her hero. Inuyasha doesn't know what to expect, and he looks at her, wary. He really hopes she's not about to cry again.

"Uh... yeah," he answers. To his relief, she smiles again, and he gets that strange feeling again that he's supposed to protect her, to help her. "I'll come get you out."

And with this, he jumps down into the well with her.

Standing on level ground with her is a new experience. She is only the smallest bit shorter than him; for the most part, they stand eye-to-eye. He wonders how old she is. He's never really paid attention to how human children grow, so he can't give a very good guess.

Inuyasha isn't exactly sure of his age. He's sort of lost count, and though he's sure his mother would know the exact year, he doesn't really care. The things that matter to him aren't measured in numbers.

But he's pretty sure he's around three decades or so right now.

Kagome on the other hand... though she looks to be about his age, maybe a little younger, he really can't tell.

So he asks. After the words are out of his mouth he thinks they might have been a mistake, because he thinks he remembers his mother saying something about never asking a lady her age. But Kagome isn't a lady, he reasons, so it should be okay.

"I'm almost eight," the girl replies. She smiles, and starts going on about something called a "birthday party" where apparently you eat something called "cake and ice cream" and you get lots of things for free.

Inuyasha has no idea what a "birthday party" is or why on earth people would be stupid enough to give you their valuable items for free, but after some consideration, he decides that people's stupidity isn't always a bad thing. He resolves to ask his mother for a "birthday party" sometime soon.

When Kagome has finally finished talking, they stare at each other for a second. Then, she remembers why he came down there in the first place.

"Oh! Are we going to leave now?"

"...yeah," Inuyasha replies. Both of them look at the ground, suddenly shy.

He coughs. "Um. I guess- uh- you have to..um..." Those darn brown eyes! She's looking at him again, and he doesn't really know what to say. He knows that he has to carry her up somehow, but he really doesn't want to say it out loud.

"Do you have to carry me on your back?"

Well, so much for beating around the bush. Inuyasha looks away, feeling embarrassed. He decides that girls are the most irritating creatures he's ever met. "Yeah."

"Well, then let's go already!" She stands hesitantly for a moment, before placing her hands on his shoulders and jumping up, wrapping her legs around his torso. It takes Inuyasha by surprise.

He has to resist the urge to throw her off. Anytime young demons do that to him, they don't want to play. He reminds himself that this is a human girl, and if he throws her off like he normally does the demons that try to jump on him, she would probably break. Into little pieces. She already feels light as a bird, as if she has hollow bones or something. _Feh. Don't humans weigh anything? Ridiculous._

Luckily, Kagome is too preoccupied to notice the fact that he's almost dumped her on the ground... unluckily, her preoccupation is with his ears. They twitch as she pets them, and he tells himself that it doesn't feel good at all, that she's being annoying. "Hey! What are you doing, stupid? I'm not a dog!"

She giggles, thankfully not noticing the insult as she entertains herself with the soft, white appendages on his head, stroking them. "Are you sure?" she asks.

"Keh," he mutters, resisting the urge to close his eyes as she strokes them right where his mother does sometimes. He can't resist a slight twitch of his right foot, however. This time his luck runs out, and Kagome notices, eliciting a small giggle.

"Let's get out of here already," he says, mad, and jumps off the ground suddenly. Kagome tightens her grip on the hanyou boy in sudden fright, and he wonders exactly how she expected him to get her out if not by jumping.

She yelps, once, and then he can hear her shallow breathing until they land safely on the ground outside. As soon as his bare feet touch the dirt, Inuyasha drops her.

"Hey!" she protests, landing on her butt on the ground. "That wasn't nice."

"Who cares?" he answers her, turning away with another "feh". "People aren't always nice you know."

When she doesn't reply to something so obviously meant to rile her up, Inuyasha has to turn around and see what she's doing. He cocks his head again, confused.

"What are you doing?"

She's walking around the well, looking at it, and staring around at the clearing in the forest they were standing in. Her eyebrows are furrowed, and she looks up at the sky. She gasps. "So many stars!"

He looks up as well, bemused. He doesn't see what's so special about the sky. It's kind of gray, actually. "There aren't that many. It's almost dawn."

But again she doesn't pay any attention, staring up admiringly at the sky before continuing to inspect the area. Finally, she turns to Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha, where's the well house?"

"Huh?" She was beginning to give him a headache with all of her strange mannerisms and ideas. "What well house?"

"And the shrine, and the fire, and the sirens and fire trucks and strangers?" The words are coming out of her mouth in a rush now. "And Mama and Souta and Jii-chan and Buyo? Where is everyone and everything?"

She starts to run in a seemingly random direction, and the little hanyou blinks in brief surprise before taking off after her. It's easy for him to keep up with her apparently frantic pace. "Hey stupid! Where are you going?"

"It's not nice to call people stupid, and I'm going to find Mama!" she replies, angry, and continues running. Shrugging, Inuyasha decides to follow her.

By the time they arrive at the Goshinboku, the girl is panting and little tears are running down her face. _Not again, _Inuyasha thinks in frustration.

Kagome stares at the God tree for a long moment, before dropping to her knees in front of it. Inuyasha thinks he might have heard her murmur _Daddy_ before her sobs start, but he's not sure.

He doesn't know what to do, so he just stands there, watching her cry in front of the old tree, her long shiny black hair dropping over her face. He feels so useless, especially when his stupid protective instincts decide to kick in, urging him to go and kill whatever is making her cry, and all he can seem to do is stand there like a statue.

He doesn't think this enemy is one he could hurt, anyway.

Eventually she stands up, and walks closer to the Goshinboku, running her small pale hands over the rough bark. Her fingers come to rest as high up as she can reach, about a third of the way up the trunk, reachable to her only by the tall roots of the old tree. She stares at this spot in the tree for a long time, before drawing her hand away. She turns around, and her watery brown eyes are looking at him again and he still doesn't know what to do.

"I... I don't think... I can go home, can I?" Her voice is soft. Inuyasha has no idea what she's talking about, but he thinks there might be someone who will.

"Come on," he says instead, grabbing her hand and beginning to drag her in the opposite direction of the sacred tree. His youkai is feeling uneasy, anyway. There's something off about this tree, he can feel it. Something about it is warning him to stay far, far away.

"Where are we going?" Her voice sounds so small and lost, and he is reminded again that she has been alive for such a short amount of time compared to him.

He looks back at her, and attempts a smile. "We're going to someone who might be able to take you home." Wherever that is. He still has no clue where she could be from, with her strange customs and clothes.

"Who's that?" Her small hand feels warm in his as they set off through the forest, the old Goshinboku eventually disappearing behind them in the endless sea of trees. Inuyasha wonders about it, even as he opens his mouth to answer Kagome.

"My mother."

~/~/~

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><p>Author's Note: I feel like this was a short update, for some reason, even though I don't think the word count was any less. Huh. I was just feeling in the mood to write, and since I FINALLY got my homework done that took all afternoon, I decided to get in one last chapter before my week at school completely drains me of my random wave of inspiration. As a result, this may be more poorly written than the others. It's also mostly a filler. But ah well, at least you got something to chew on for the next four or five days.<p>

And, this whole two updates in one day thing? Never happening again, probably. Unfortunately. But it was nice while it lasted.

**Please review and let me know what you thought.** I really enjoy hearing feedback from y'all- and not just positive, either. I really need constructive criticism sometimes, people. That means things I did wrong, as well. ;) I can't say I welcome flames, but I can learn from them, if you feel you must. And again, I do appreciate all my reviewers and people who have added me to Favorites & Alerts. (: You guys make me push myself.

Hope you enjoyed! See y'all next week!

_-Lady E_


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

As a brief note, I wrote most of this chapter while listening to "100 Years" by Five for Fighting and "Love Never Fails" by Brandon Heath. If you guys want, go check them out while reading. (:

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><p><strong>Chapter Four<strong>

Kagome can't believe that everyone has just up and disappeared on her. The darkness around her is fading, but the sun still hasn't risen far, and she feels lonely and abandoned.

As she falls to the ground in front of the old tree, crying more out of disbelief than anything, she remembers a different setting. One where she sat on a stone bench, in her daddy's strong arms, and listened to a fairy tale, watching the sun set. Under the peaceful limbs of the God Tree, her father spoke softly the tale of a warrior and a miko.

"_Daddy, I'm not tired."_

"_You're yawning, Kagome."_

"_So? I wanna hear a story! Tell me a princess story, Daddy."_

"_Are you sure? You just heard a princess story last night."_

"_But I love princess stories, Daddy!"_

"_How about a different story, baby?"_

"_Like what?"_

"_How about I tell you about the Goshinboku?"_

"_The tree? Daddy, what's so special about a tree?"_

"_You'll have to listen to the story."_

"_Well tell me the story then!"_

"_But Kagome, I thought you wanted to hear a princess story?" _

"_No! Daddy, tell me about the tree!"_

"_All right, baby."_

_His deep voice vibrates as he begins to speak, and she snuggles against him, looking up at him with shining brown eyes as he starts the story._

"_Once upon a time..."_

Kagome sniffs, and walks up to the Goshinboku. She stretches on her tiptoes, up to the spot where there had been a big dent in the old wood. Her fingers search the trunk of the tree, but the blackened scar is nowhere to be seen.

At last she turns, and her tears are mostly gone now. "I... I don't think... I can go home, can I?" she asks, voice little more than a whisper.

Even as Inuyasha drags her by the hand, his fingers feeling rough in her soft ones, and says he's taking her to his mother, she can't help the little tears that fall as the Goshinboku leaves her sight. _Daddy. I miss you._

~/~/~

The sun is not too far over the horizon, and Kagome is getting tired.

This whole night has been one big mess for her. She thinks that she hasn't laughed and cried so much since her daddy left. This derails her thoughts for a moment, and she wonders again what kind of place Heaven is, exactly. Mama never did explain enough to satisfy her curiosity. Neither did Daddy, come to think of it.

_Heaven is where we're together, Kagome. _

Inuyasha is ahead of her, and he's walking fast. He let go of her hand a while ago, and now she is struggling to keep up with his pace. Her eyes are getting heavy. It feels as if they've been walking for hours, even though it probably hasn't been longer than twenty minutes or so. Little stones and broken twigs press sharply into her bare feet, unused to going without shoes. She feels like she's walking in a dream. Now that the panic of the night has calmed down, Kagome thinks she could fall asleep and never wake up.

Except for her irritating lack of footwear. She can't suppress a quiet whimper as the soft, tender skin of her feet takes a beating from the rough forest floor. She hasn't had to endure much pain yet- her life has been blessedly sheltered.

Until tonight, of course.

"Inu...Inuyasha?" Kagome calls out his name halfheartedly. One ear flicks in acknowledgment before he turns his head to look at her. The sight of his face comes as a relief to the exhausted girl- he hasn't met her eyes since they began walking. She had been beginning to wonder if he was even real anymore, or if she was just following a ghost.

"What?" His pace slows, and irritation shows in his face. "Why are you being so slow?" She thinks she would get angry, if she had the energy. As it is, it's so hard just to make a sentence. His eyes are still on her, staring, as he takes in her exhaustion.

Kagome stops completely, swaying a little on her feet. "So tired...and my feet hurt." She eyes his bare feet incredulously, wondering how on earth he is able to go around barefoot all the time.

"Keh," the boy scoffs. "Stop complaining. We're almost there."

"B-but it _hurts!_" she whines.

"Toughen up." With these last, exceedingly unhelpful words, the boy turns around and starts walking again. Making a face at him behind his back, Kagome starts to follow again. _What a hero he's turned out to be._ She tries to ignore the sharp pains that come from the scratches on her feet, telling herself over and over that she is almost there, almost there. So she doesn't notice the blood until Inuyasha spins around again, sniffing.

"You're bleeding." He doesn't seem to know what to do, his beautiful golden eyes swirling with... concern? Panic?

Kagome looks down at her feet, covered in little streaks of red, and promptly sits down on the ground. "I guess I am," she replies, eerily calm. If her mama was here, she would be crying, and she would stroke her hair and comfort her while she bandaged her feet. _But Mama's not here. So you can't cry, because Inuyasha's not any help. _

She starts to carefully get the little rocks and general debris out of the small scrapes on her soles, holding back her tears. She doesn't really feel like crying anymore, anyway. All the while, the silver-haired boy is watching her anxiously.

When she is finished, she takes a deep breath, gathering her courage, and tries to stand again. She whimpers again, louder this time, and sits back down. The tears that she has been holding back start to teeter on the edge of her eyelids. She can't do this. This is too much for one night. "Mama," she chokes out, nearly inaudibly.

Suddenly, she finds herself being pulled up from the ground by a clawed hand. "Inuyasha?"

"Stupid girl. Humans are so much weaker than youkai," the arrogant boy grumbles as he helps her onto his back.

Kagome smiles, even though she doesn't really understand what he's talking about. What she does understand is that he's helping her. He doesn't want her to have to hurt. He's protecting her. She barely knows him, and yet already she feels like she can trust him.

_Maybe he's not such a bad hero, after all. _

~/~/~

She doesn't realize exactly what he's said until a few minutes later, when the two are traveling through the forest once more. They're making much better time, now that the "weak human girl" isn't slowing them down. She's still tired, and a little inclined to fall asleep on Inuyasha, but the rest from walking has given her more energy to think and talk, at least. Also, she doesn't really want to fall asleep on a boy who is still practically a stranger to her. It's bad enough he has to carry her.

_He talks about humans like he isn't one, _Kagome thinks, confused. She isn't blind- she can see he has some definite dog-like characteristics. She's just been too distracted with everything else before to wonder about it. However, now all she can look at are his ears, twitching in his mass of messy silver hair, tantalizingly close to her fingers. She really, really wants to pet them again. She _knows _he likes it.

She thinks about his other weird features. Like his claws, instead of fingernails. And his golden eyes and silver hair that's much too long for any regular boy. And his fangs she can see displayed when he talks. _What is he? _Kagome wonders.

"Inuyasha?" she mumbles, still sleepy.

"What?" he answers brusquely.

For a moment, she's irritated. Never has she met a more stubborn, blunt boy her own age than the one she's currently riding on the back of. But then she remembers why she's being carried, and she calms down. A little smile forms on her face, even as her eyebrows furrow in confusion. In true little girl form, she asks her question straightforwardly.

"What are you?"

The boy is surprised, at first. "What kind of a stupid question is that, wench? I'm hanyou."

Kagome's face only becomes more confused. "Hanyou? What is a hanyou?"

He turns his face to look at her incredulously, even as he keeps walking. "How do you not know what a hanyou is?"

"Well I don't okay, so you don't have to be so mean about it!" she shoots back. "I only wondered why you have doggy ears."

"Keh," he snorts. "Hanyou is half human and half youkai. I thought every human kid old enough to talk knew _that._"

Again, Kagome ignores the insult in favor of considering what Inuyasha has just said. "Youkai? As in... demon? You're a half-demon?"

A jerk of his head confirms her realization.

_Half demon... hanyou? What kind of a place is this? Youkai? I thought they didn't exist. _Kagome's head is spinning, again. _And aren't... aren't youkai supposed to be bad? _

"But... but youkai aren't real. Daddy told me so. He said they are only for princess stories." _And miko stories, _she thinks, remembering a specific bedtime story.

"Of _course_ youkai are real! My daddy was one. Mother tells me about him _all _the time!" Inuyasha is disbelieving. He holds his head up high, even as he continues to walk with her on his back. "He was Inu no Taisho of the Western Lands. He was the greatest inu-youkai ever!"

Kagome stares. "You look funny when your nose is stuck up in the air like that."

She watches as the little _hanyou _fumes. "Stupid girls," she hears him mutter. She decides he looks funny with that expression on his face, too.

_Stupid boys._

~/~/~

By the time they reach the village, the men are just heading to work in the fields, and the women are already busying themselves with the chores of the morning. Kagome is confused, _again. _

She tells Inuyasha she can walk from here, and he lets her down as they enter by the main road. First of all, everyone is dressed funny, like people she's seen in movies. The women are wearing kimonos and headscarves and carrying woven baskets, and the men...

_Topknot, topknot, topknot, topknot... _Kagome shakes her head, disbelieving.

Second, their houses are so small and flimsy! Some of them even have dirt floors. There are horses pulling carts, and a few streets over, she thinks she can see an outdoor marketplace.

Where _is _she?

"It feels like... I went back in time, or something," she mumbles, staring around in wonder. Inuyasha just shakes his head.

"Crazy girl," he mutters.

Kagome is attracting some odd stares, as well, because of her clothes. She looks down at the ground, self-conscious.

"Let's go," Inuyasha tells her, and takes her hand once more. The two children then hurry off, Kagome following the hanyou boy and his knowledgeable nose.

Soon enough, they arrive in front of a modest hut. Inuyasha pokes his head in the door first, and then motions her in after him. "Mother?" he calls.

Entering the doorway, Kagome is met with the sight of a stunningly beautiful woman wearing worn clothes and a tired expression, which changes into relief at the sight of the children. "Inuyasha! You had me scared to death! Where did you go?" She momentarily doesn't seem to notice Kagome as Inuyasha runs to her, and she wraps him in a hug.

"I'm sorry, Mother," he answers her. "But I had to find someone, and I didn't want to wake you up."

Only then does the woman look towards Kagome. Her eyebrows raise at the sight of the disheveled, dirty, sleepy human girl standing in her doorway, feet covered in dirt and dried blood, and wearing odd clothing.

"I-I'm sorry," Kagome whispers nervously, shy. "But, I'm lost... I-I'm not sure where my mama is. I was waiting for her... in the well... I-Inuyasha took me here."

The lady- for Kagome has decided upon first sight that Inuyasha's mother is beautiful and must be high class, despite her clothes- simply smiles. Then, extending her hand to the small, hesitant little girl, she says, "Come. Breakfast is almost ready. I'll tend to your feet, and then you can eat with us. We'll talk then."

"Thank you, Lady." Kagome smiles cautiously, and allows her small hand to be enveloped in the woman's longer, slender one. As Inuyasha's mother leads her over to the futon in the corner and begins to get some long white bandages for her feet, she thanks the Kami for sending her the young hanyou. Even if she's not sure exactly where she is or why, she knows one thing for sure- she's safe with him.

~/~/~

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><p>Author's Note: I'm not too sure about this one... I apologize for another chapter with a lack of action. But I promise, we're getting there. ;) The more I write, the more ideas come to me. Which is a lovely first for me. So there may or may not be another update this weekend, depending on how fast I can get my homework over with and how tired I am. I almost posted this last night at around midnight, but I thought you guys deserved better than what my brain turns out after two hours of late night writing.<p>

Anyway. I hope you enjoyed, and please review! You guys make my day when you do that. ^_^


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

As a brief note- I wrote most of this chapter to "Carry You Home" by James Blunt. Just if you're interested. :) I don't know if any of y'all like to listen to music while you read. I do, so I thought I'd give you a suggestion. Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Five<strong>

Inuyasha watches with his head cocked to one side as his mother tends to Kagome's feet with her expert fingers, knowing firsthand how good she is with minor injuries- she's had to bandage him up many times before. There are tears in the little girl's big brown eyes at first, when his mother has to clean out the scrapes, but eventually she calms down when the long white bandages begin to wind around the injuries.

The scent of her blood is still in the air, and he wonders why it bothers him so much. He can't think straight- it's everywhere, and he's glad when his mother finishes with her, because then it's not so strong anymore.

But now she's smiling at him again, and looking like she wants to laugh. Oh, how he hates it when she laughs. It reminds him of all the other times when the village kids have teased him, and it makes him angry. Looking away, he mutters a small "keh". He doesn't think Mother would like it very much if he calls Kagome stupid.

"All better now," Mother says to Kagome, placing her feet on the ground again and allowing her to stand. The girl smiles at her.

"Thank you very much, Lady," she says shyly. "My feet feel lots better now."

Curiously, Inuyasha watches the exchange between his mother and the strange human girl. _Why isn't Mother asking her any questions yet? _he wonders. She hasn't even asked him why he wanted to bring her home in the first place, or how he knew where she was. _Why?_

"It was nothing, dear," Mother is saying. "Now, why don't we go eat breakfast?"

Inuyasha jumps up. "Finally!" Kagome giggles, and he ignores her. He's hungry, after all! It's been a busy morning.

They all sit down to eat, and Inuyasha's mother serves the food. He waits impatiently while she says the customary blessing, and then he starts eating hungrily almost before the last words are out of her mouth. "Inuyasha!" she scolds him, without any real irritation. He just shrugs. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Kagome begin to eat, shyly.

"Thank you," she says, after a while of silence. Mother only smiles in return.

Another few empty moments pass before she speaks again.

"I'm sorry, I never really introduced myself, did I?" his mother says. "I am Inuyasha's mother. My name is Izayoi, and there is no need to call me 'Lady'. Let's see... I think 'Aunt' will do just fine."

"I-I'm sorry," Kagome stutters. "I-I didn't know-"

"That's fine, dear," his mother interrupts her gently. "No, you didn't. However, I don't believe you've ever told me your name."

"Kagome," she answers, her voice steadying a little more. "My name is Higurashi Kagome."

"Ahh, Kagome, is it?" His mother's face is a little teasing, and Inuyasha realizes that she's trying to keep her tone light- trying to make the whole, confusing situation into something funny, for her.

_Just like she always does for me. _He remembers images of hateful little children, of cruel grown-ups, of taunting and teasing and scuffles on the street. All that hurt is always healed with a smile, or a kind word, or a gentle touch from her soft hands.

This time is no different. Mother's nonsense words make the girl giggle quietly. "Yes! That's my name."

"You know, Kagome is such a pretty name." Kagome blushes pink, and his mother winks. "I think any mother would be proud to have such a pretty little girl like you for a daughter."

"Arigato..." Kagome murmurs, looking down at her feet. "But... I-I don't know where she is..."

His mother raises one delicate eyebrow, and fixes her dark eyes on Inuyasha. "You don't?" she says questioningly, still addressing the girl although her gaze doesn't leave his face. He swallows, feeling like she can see right through him.

"No, no ma'am," Kagome answers. "There... there was a fire..." Her face becomes sad, and Inuyasha feels another whine, low in the back of his throat. His ears droop. He really, really hates it when she gets sad. He doesn't exactly know why- human girls have never exactly been his best friends. In fact, they're usually afraid of him.

Maybe it's because he can still see her smile when she first caught sight of him, down in that dry well. Maybe he just really wants to see that smile come back.

"Inuyasha? Would you mind explaining just exactly what happened this morning?" He's brought out of his thoughts by his mother's expectant voice.

He knows better than to think that's actually a question.

"I woke up early, and-" the young hanyou boy cuts his eyes over to Kagome, listening to him with curiosity as well. He blushes faintly. "Well, I could smell the smoke, a-and I didn't wanna wake you up, 'cause it was really _really_ early, so I left, and then there was somebody crying, but then there was the old empty well, except for well it wasn't empty 'cause there was a _girl_ in it, and then I guess I got her out even though it was scary cause I was 'fraid I was gonna be _purified_ and-"

Mother holds up a hand, effectively stopping his overflow of words which seem to come faster and faster the more he thinks about the events of this morning. She shakes her head. "Not all at once, Inuyasha. Slow down."

"Sorry," he mumbles. She gives him a smile, though, so he knows she's not too exasperated with him.

She turns to Kagome instead. "So, Kagome. Can you try to make a little more sense than Inuyasha?" She winks, and the girl giggles a little. Again. Inuyasha rolls his eyes.

"Okay, A-aunt Izayoi," she answers, stumbling over the familiar form of address. Her voice sounds small as she begins to speak, her brief moment of happiness seeming to disappear.

"I woke up, and it was dark, and I was real scared 'cause I couldn't breathe that good," Kagome explains, and Mother's eyes grow sad as she continues. "Mama was with me, and she told me, she said there was a fire. It was a big scary fire, and all the smoke was everywhere and she was coughing- we both were. She told me I was s'posed to run outside, to the well house, and that she would m-meet me there." Kagome's voice is a little shaky now, and Inuyasha's ears droop just a little without him noticing.

"Except... except she had to go get Souta and Jii-chan, and she was s'posed, she told me she would meet me outside after she helped them. So I was waiting, I waited in the well house for a long long time, and it was dark and I was scared and I wanted to be brave like Mama, I really did, but I just couldn't help it and I was crying." Little tears are forming in her eyes again. Inuyasha thinks that he's never seen one girl cry so much in one morning.

Mother gets up and puts her arms around Kagome, holding her like she always holds him when he's upset, and tears start to fall down her face again. "And then, and then there were all these loud sirens and flashing lights, and strangers, a whole bunch of people I didn't know were outside, and I knew they were gonna take me away and, and-" A hiccup interrupts her story, and she buries her face into his mother's kimono. Her voice is muffled now, and her face is hidden. "And I didn't know what to do, the house w-was burning and I was all alone and I was looking for a hiding place. I was real scared of the- the well, but I didn't see anywhere else, so I- I jumped down the well, and..." Her big teary brown eyes suddenly turn to look at him, and he can't really look away. "And after a while, I guess, Inuyasha came."

The hanyou boy is uncomfortable. She's upset, and he doesn't like that she's upset, but he's never been good with crying girls, and he doesn't know what to _do _and he just wants her to smile again.

Mother looks at him with a wink, as though she can read his mind, and then turns back to Kagome. "It sounds like you've had quite the morning," she says, soft. The girl just nods, eyes still red and wet, turning back to face her. Inuyasha sighs in relief.

"B-but, Aunt Izayoi, when I came out, the-the well house was just _gone! _A-and the house was gone, too, and so was all the sidewalks, and there were all these stars outside that w-weren't there before, and then, and then the scar was gone from the G-goshinboku! Everything was so different, a-and now, now there's all these people outside and even y-you," here Kagome pauses and blushes slightly, "a-and you're both acting like you're from a waaaaaay long time ago and.. and..." She hangs her head. "And I just wanna go home."

Mother just strokes her soft black hair and lets her cry into her kimono, and Inuyasha is suddenly determined that he doesn't want her to ever cry again. Ever. Never ever ever. He'll make sure of it.

So he's extra nice to her all through the day. Once she's calmed down, Mother leaves them alone to entertain themselves. They don't leave the little hut, Inuyasha fully aware that if they went out to play on the streets like the other village children, only bad things would happen. He lets her mess with his ears all she wants, and even begrudgingly lets her braid his long silver hair, although he shakes it out as soon as she's done. All day long, they sit and talk nonsense, Kagome playing pretend with little rag dolls Mother has made for her in just a few moments and occasionally roping Inuyasha into her stories.

She's a really good storyteller. He tells her so, and is rewarded with a smile. He inwardly cheers and offers her a tentative smile in return.

By dusk, they're tired and ready for bed. After dinner, Mother makes Kagome a pallet on the floor, and they both climb under their blankets. Inuyasha is asleep in moments.

He is woken a little later by the feel of warmth wrapped around him. At first, he thinks he's tangled up in his blanket, but then he realizes that at some point, Kagome has come over and gotten under his blanket with him. He's too surprised to really be embarrassed, and besides, she's already nestled in beside him and is sound asleep. No point in acting awkward, he supposes, if no one's awake to see them anyway.

He can smell the tears on her face, and he sighs in disappointment. Not even a day, and his promise to himself is already broken. At least she's not crying now.

A still-sleepy Inuyasha shifts a little, careful not to wake up the small human girl sleeping beside him, and is quickly dreaming once more. And he doesn't wake up when his mother, up at dawn again, has to stifle a small laugh as she observes the two children.

~/~/~

The next day passes much like the first, except that in the afternoon, Mother invites Kagome out for a little while to go shopping in the market. Inuyasha watches the girl accept with a curious expression on her face. The pair return home almost an hour later, Kagome wearing a new, simple light blue kimono with a brown obi and some sandals that look slightly worn.

To his surprise, her curiosity has turned to frustration. Her brown eyes are fiery now, and her small arms are crossed over her chest. Her black hair is braided now, and it swings around behind her as she stalks through the door in a huff.

"No one will tell me why you're all acting like you're out of a movie or something!" she yells. Kagome is mad now, not just scared, and she stomps over to Inuyasha, getting in his face. Mother just watches, her expression unreadable to the small hanyou. She lets out a tiny sigh.

"Wait... huh?" Inuyasha is so confused. What's wrong with the stupid girl now? He feels himself getting irritated too. Kagome lets out a wordless exclamation at his response.

"All of it! Your clothes, the houses, the horses everywhere, the funny way you all talk!" She is spitting mad. Her childish voice takes on a whining, angry pitch. "You're all crazy! You have to be! Where am I? _Tell me_!"

The tears are not far behind her eyes, Inuyasha can tell, but they're mad tears. She is like a little youkai herself as she lets out her frustration on him, and secretly, though he would never admit it to her in five hundred years, he's a tiny bit impressed.

"You're in a a village in Japan, stupid!" Inuyasha rises to the challenge in her voice. He's in her face now too, determined not to be the one to back down. He can have just as big a temper as she can, he decides. "You're with me and Mother, and you better be glad you are too, otherwise you'd still be down in that stupid well and some youkai would have come and _eaten _you by now, and no one would even care!"

"Inuyasha!" his mother says sharply. His ears lay back on his head at her tone, but he's not taking it back. _Dumb human, she should be grateful!_

Kagome's bottom lip starts to tremble, and suddenly her fire dies down. "I'm s-sorry," she says, backing away a little. "But... but I have to go."

And without a backward glance, she runs out of the little dwelling. Inuyasha is too shocked to even move at first. He looks at his mother with wide eyes, and a little whimper leaves his throat. She beckons him close, and he runs to her arms.

"Mother, I'm sorry," he tells her, and she holds him close.

"It's all right, Inuyasha," she answers him, kissing the top of his head. "I know. But you need to be nicer to Kagome. She's very frustrated and sad right now, and we're all a little confused about where she came from."

He pulls away from her a little, and stares out the now-open door. He wonders where she went, and if he is supposed to go after her. He can still feel her warm little body snuggled up against him under the blankets last night, like a little sleepy kitten. He can still see her bright smile, making him smile too. Truthfully, he doesn't want to make her cry, and he doesn't want her to get mad.

He looks up at Mother, silently asking for permission. She smiles gently, though her dark eyes are sad. "What are you waiting for, Inuyasha? Go, find her. We don't want her to get eaten by a youkai, now do we?"

He bolts out the door like the devil is after him, already sniffing the air.

Going as fast as he can, he finds her about fifteen minutes later. Even though she doesn't have much of a head start, it's market day, and the crowds both slow him down and mess up the scent trail he's been following.

He gets a lot of strange looks, and more than a few whispers, as he runs through the small village. But after all, he's used to it, and though he's uncomfortable, there are more important things he has to do right now.

Following what he can smell through the crowded streets, Inuyasha eventually ends up in the forest. Again. Sniffing out a crying human girl. Again.

He really, really hopes this constant crying thing isn't going to be a permanent pattern.

She's curled up with her knees drawn to her chest and her head bowed, somehow having made it all the way out to the Goshinboku. Without getting lost, tired, hurt, and/or attacked and eaten by a youkai. Inuyasha's unwilling respect for this girl just keeps on growing.

"Hey... Kagome." His words are hesitant. At the sound of his voice, her head jerks up, and she stands up.

"Oh... it's you," she says, dully. Her eyes aren't bright anymore, he notices. Just tired. "Well, I'm going home." And with that, she marches off, in the direction of the sacred well he'd pulled her out of not two days ago.

"Hey!" With a bound, Inuyasha catches up to her, and walks beside her. "I thought you didn't know where home was?"

She only sighs. "I came out of the well, right? Well, I-I guess the only thing I can do is... is go back in."

He tries to protest, but she won't listen, shaking off his hands and trudging on. He's too afraid of breaking her to try and grab her again. The clearing is soon visible through the trees, and the two children can see the well.

In a moment, she stands at the edge of the deep hole, her hands placed on the worn wooden edge. She pauses, and looks over at Inuyasha. "Thank you," she says sincerely.

"Keh. I don't want to have to get you out of there again," is all he says, though his anxious eyes give him away. "What if it doesn't work?"

"It will," she answers, before sitting on the edge and swinging her legs over. "It has to." He picks up the last part of her words only because of his hanyou hearing. He feels the strangest urge to yank her back.

He doesn't want her to go.

"Kagome!"

But by now, she's pushed herself off with her arms and is falling, eyes shut, towards the ground. Without thinking twice, Inuyasha makes his decision, and jumps over the edge to catch her.

The blue lights that engulf them both and suspend them in a timeless limbo, needless to say, take him completely by surprise.

~/~/~

Suzuki Aito runs a large hand through his black hair and sighs, his dark eyes staring at the blackened ruins of the dwelling that once stood here. "What am I doing here?" he mutters to himself, gazing with sadness upon the skeletal structure. He leans his head back and stares at the dismal sky. No dark stormclouds are present. No threat of thunder or lightning or torrential precipitation lies in the heavens this afternoon. The clouds are simply grey, the kind of misty color that leaves one without energy and wishing for better days.

The young man hunches his broad shoulders under his jacket, shoving his hands in his pockets as he walks closer to the former home. He shakes his head at the ashes, his boots leaving heavy imprints in the sodden ground. _This place, _he thinks to himself, _used to be a sanctuary. A little bit of nature and hope, stuck in the middle of the busiest city of Japan. _He sighs with unhappiness, remembering when his parents had used to take him here as a child.

_Just goes to show that everything has to die, at some time or another._

Aito stares at his calloused hands, remembering. His mind wanders back to just two nights ago, arriving on the scene at around two in the morning. He sees flames licking the night sky like hungry wolves, the red and blue flashing lights on the emergency vehicles casting odd, fluctuating shadows on the ground. He feels the heaviness of his safety gear as the rush to pile out of the truck ensues, he and his comrades moving quickly to enter the building collapsing even as they run. The policemen that had joined the entourage as they raced across Tokyo to arrive at the site swerve to a halt in the front drive and jump out as well, shouting orders to their fellow officers, searching the rest of the grounds for both escapees and criminals.

He feels his heart race as he is the first one to enter the burning house, leading a squad of seven others. He is momentarily in awe as the sight of each beam of the house set aflame with dancing orange tongues of fire transfixes even his fairly experienced eyes.

The house won't survive this. He can see this immediately. Yet he still has to move through the hellish hallways like a superhero, like he has the power to save the day for this unfortunate family. Even though he's not sure that he and his reliable team can pull this one off tonight.

He can still hear the cracking of the support beams as his team moves efficiently through the doomed building, hoping almost beyond hope that they can still locate the trapped family and salvage at least part of this disaster. He can still smell the acrid smoke that penetrates even the filters on their masks, coating every single inch of exposed skin.

He can still see the look on the trapped woman's face as he catches her intelligent eyes, wide with fear, just before the section of the roof in that room crashes to the floor with the loudest _crack! _yet. He can still feel the pain and frustration as he looks at the collapsed room and realizes that their last chance has passed. They've failed.

She was holding a baby. He saw it in her arms just before the roof fell in. Her fearful eyes were not for herself, he is sure, but for that poor little infant.

He curses suddenly, resisting the urge to drive his fist into the corpse of the home that stands before him. "She didn't deserve to die," he whispers to himself, still looking at his hands. The hands that failed to save an innocent mother and child from the fate of a terrible accident. The hands that may as well have killed the family themselves, because of their incompetence. "It's all my fault."

Turning suddenly, Aito has the urge to leave this place. To bid it goodbye and file it away as just another failed rescue, just another statistic to add to the already too-high death rate in the city of Tokyo, and to move on. This can't be healthy, he knows. He can't possibly despair over every time he can't come to the rescue.

But screw it all, he had _seen_ her! He had _met her eyes_ in the midst of the disaster and had been able to do _nothing_!

Tears well unwillingly in his deep eyes, and he can't fight them no matter how hard he tries. All he can think about is that family, trapped. Frightened. Helpless. He knows that there were four people in that fire, and now all of them are dead. An old man. A mother. A little girl, not even eight years old. Her body was never even found. A little baby boy, just past his first birthday. All gone. All his fault.

So he stands there and cries, in the middle of a dead shrine, standing in mud and ashes and Kami knows what else, mourning the loss of yet more innocents.

All he sees is that mother's brown eyes, scared for her baby and unable to do a thing. And all he can do now is resolve that nothing like this will ever happen under his watch again.

"I promise you," Aito swears to the still air. Silent as the four empty graves that stand by the sacred tree not far away, marked to remember the lives of those who had tended the shrine for so long. "No one else will die because of my failure."

Absorbed in his grief, he doesn't notice the light footsteps on the soft, soaked ground as the door of the well house, untouched by the ravages of the fire, swings open not far away. He doesn't see the wide red-rimmed eyes of a small girl fill with tears at the sight of her ruined home. And he doesn't hear her small outcry when she catches sight of the four grave markers by her favorite tree.

No, Aito simply stands in the misty, miserable drizzle, a lone figure weeping with the sky, and wonders why the story of that night had to end so tragically.

~/~/~

* * *

><p>Author's Note: I am so terribly sorry that this has taken so long. But the first quarter was ending, and we had lots of exams and things, and I was just so exhausted that my inspiration was gone. Like, vanished. And I was at my grandparent's house most of this weekend. Anyway, here you are, another update. I hope you guys don't kill me for making it so depressing. But I finally quit fighting it, and I can only hope that my muse takes this to a happier place soon. :( At least this chapter is like twice as long as usual.<p>

Forgive me please for any spelling/grammar errors, and some poor choice of vocabulary in places. I have no beta, so... yeah. Things'll happen sometimes. But I try! That's why I love it so much when you review and give me constructive criticism. ^_^ Speaking of...

Thank you thank you thank you to all my lovely reviewers! I love you! And all those people who added me to Alerts and Favorites and still decided not to comment... please, pretty please, **send me a review and tell me what your thoughts are! **You guys are so amazing.

Well, I hope that's everything. Have a good week, and I hope you found this enjoyable enough. (:

_Lady E_


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

(I just realized that I started the last two chapters with "as a brief note"! X) Haha, I guess just a random little funny thing I noticed. Even though this chapter's not very funny. Or lighthearted at all, really. But... it gets better... maybe? Me and my inspiration are having a tug-of-war right now as to the tone & mood of this story, and I'm losing to the depressing side. Sorry! But anyway, hope you enjoy, and I'll shut up now so you can read.)

(Okay, I lied. Again, more song suggestions: Duet by Rachael Yamagata, or First Love by Adele.)

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><p><strong>Chapter Six<strong>

Kagome's wide brown eyes stare around the marketplace with wonder and confusion. She vaguely remembers being taught something about how staring at strangers is rude, but she thinks this time it's okay. After all, they're all staring at her, too.

She just can't fathom why they are all dressed like... well, like medieval people, with kimonos and sandals and topknots galore! She's seen movies and her mother has read her stories about places like this, but she's old enough now that she knows they're just pretend. That was a long long time ago, and she knows it. Yet these adults are all dressed so crazy, and it's nowhere even close to Halloween!

And the marketplace... well, it's a marketplace, for crying out loud! Who goes to buy their food and goods outside anymore? She's positive _her _family always goes to a grocery store. Plus, the houses are all so wooden, and none of them have bricks at _all_. She doesn't even see glass in the windows. She wonders if she should say something to the woman walking beside her, holding her hand, but all the people staring at her and whispering to each other intimidate her, and she shrinks back.

Aunt Izayoi seems to realize that they're all staring at Kagome too, because she keeps glancing over at the girl and then back at the crowd of people milling about. Finally, she can't keep quiet anymore.

"Aunt Izayoi? Why are they all staring at me so funny?" Her voice is quiet. She thinks, if anything, she should be the one staring at them.

The lady smiles down at her, still holding her hand. Kagome doesn't notice the tightness in her expression. "You're just a little- different, than what they're used to, Kagome. Don't worry." Their shared grip warms her hand, and she walks a little braver in her t-shirt and bare feet.

Even so, the first place Izayoi goes to spend her money is a clothing store. They have good luck. Inside, after taking a look at Kagome's interesting attire and Izayoi's pretty face, the merchant agrees that the girl needs proper clothes, and he lets the two have a pretty blue kimono and brown obi for half price. Kagome changes in the back corner of the store immediately, Inuyasha's mother helping her with the unfamiliar clothing.

They return to the hustle of the outdoor marketplace, and though it's true that Kagome attracts less attention now than she did in her old clothes, she still feels uncomfortable. Nothing is familiar; nothing feels right. Even the endless chatter of the people is off, different, with odd accents and strange phrases and cadences that she's never heard before. By the time Izayoi has bought all she needs for the coming week, Kagome is frustrated and tired.

"Where am I?" she demands angrily as they walk away, back towards the hut at the edge of the village. She is fuming, even though she knows that she shouldn't be yelling at the nice woman who's helped her so much. But dang it, she's mad! "What is this place? You all talk funny and dress funny and I'm sick of it! Someone tell me what's going on! Am I still at home, dreaming? Did I... did I die?" She falters momentarily, scared by this concept, before she shakes it off. "I want to go home and _I want Mama!_"

Aunt Izayoi's dark eyes are sad and deep as she listens to Kagome. She has no help to give the girl now, no assurances, no comfort. And Kagome can see it, and maybe that's why the words just won't stop coming out of her mouth. Maybe that's why, when they get home, she lets Inuyasha have it. Maybe that's why, after he calls her on her unfairness, she realizes that she can't stay here anymore. That she has to go home, no matter what it takes to get there.

Running away from the hut isn't easy. It's the only safe place she's been since she arrived in this strange place. But she's almost certain she knows the way back to the well, and it's her only chance to go home. To see Mama. She finds the determination to keep running. Even as golden eyes and the warmth of a larger hand come back to her mind, making her heart hurt just a little at leaving the mother and son without even saying goodbye, and her tears start to fall again because she's really going to miss them, no matter she's only known them two days and the boy is actually kind of rude. They've been her family for the past forty-eight hours of confusing nightmare, and she doesn't think she'll forget them anytime soon.

Somehow, she manages to find the Goshinboku. The God Tree. The tree where her daddy had always played with her and told her stories. Their tree. Their memories.

Except, it's different now. There's a forest, and the trunk is missing the deep indent it has always had before. No bench, no sidewalk, no house. No strong arms that she can curl up in, no lap to sit on. She curls up by its base and lets herself cry for a bit, remembering.

_His deep voice vibrates as he begins to speak, and she snuggles against him, looking up at him with shining brown eyes as he starts the story._

"_Once upon a time, there was a baby tree. It grew up to be big and strong, and it stood for hundreds of years. It was the oldest tree in its forest. It was so special, that the priests in the area called it sacred, blessed by the kami. They named it the God Tree, the Goshinboku. _

"_But the God Tree had a sad future ahead of it. A priestess lived in the village close by, and she was betrayed by her love."_

"_Her love?"_

"_Yes, Kagome. Her love- her boyfriend. Her prince." _

"_Oh. Well, why'd he betray her? That's not something a prince is s'posed to do." _

"_It was all a big misunderstanding, baby."_

"_Oh."_

"_Well, the priestess felt sad and angry, so she shot her love in the heart with an arrow and pinned him to the God Tree. See the scar?"_

"_She shot him?"_

"_She didn't kill him, Kagome. It was a magic arrow. She just made him go to sleep. Like Sleeping Beauty. And eventually, he woke up."_

"_...oh. So that's why the tree has a boo-boo? Cause she shot an arrow into it?"_

"_Mmhm."_

"_So why'd he wake up?" _

"_They say an angel came down from heaven and freed him, and then he disappeared. Nobody knows if he died or went far, far away. But he's not here anymore."_

"_What happened to the priestess?"_

"_She died of a broken heart."_

"_That's so sad, Daddy. I hope the angel took the prince to heaven with her."_

"_I hope she did, too."_

"_Is the tree sad now too, Daddy?" _

"_I don't think so. It's happy, because lots of other good things have happened in its lifetime besides just that one tragedy."_

Kagome's tears subside as she begins to breathe at a normal rate, remembering falling asleep that night on her daddy's lap. Even though she really, really misses him, she feels better, thinking about the angel taking the prince to heaven with her.

"Hey... Kagome."

A voice makes her lift her head, and for a split second her imagination runs wild, and she doesn't know who it is. But when she looks, it's Inuyasha.

"Oh. It's you." Her voice is disappointed. She had been hoping her memory was real, for just a minute there. "Well, I'm going home."

Of course Inuyasha has to know where she thinks she's going, and when she explains her logic he tries to stop her. She won't let him- she just knows that going back into the well is her way back. It has to be, because if the well idea doesn't work then she's got nothing. So she shakes him off and keeps walking. He follows her, and she tries not to think about how nice it feels not to be by herself anymore.

She's not afraid of getting lost. Even with the forest here now, she knows the layout of her own yard better than anything. They soon reach the clearing, and she goes directly to the wooden square raised a few feet off the ground. Her small hands find purchase on the worn surface.

Hesitating, she looks at the... hanyou... boy one last time. "Thank you," she tells him, meaning it with everything she has.

"Keh. I don't wanna have to get you out again," he replies, although his golden eyes are nervous. His cute silver ears lay back against his head. "What if it doesn't work?"

Kagome doesn't have an alternative, so she just says, "It will." She jumps up onto the narrow beam and swings her legs over to dangle into the hole. _It has to. _

She gathers her courage. Just as Inuyasha yells her name, she squeezes her eyes shut, pushes herself off the edge, and braces herself...

...for an impact that never comes.

~/~/~

Kagome doesn't open her eyes this time, as she falls through time. She just keeps them shut tight until she can feel herself touch solid ground. Her first reaction is relief.

"Mama," she whispers, and a smile comes over her face like sunshine. She can see Mama again! The nightmare is gone, vanished. She can see the ladder now, see the dark roof above her. Immediately she scrambles up off the ground and climbs the ladder. She's so caught up in excitement that she doesn't even hear the sound of footsteps below her.

That fire, it must have been part of the dream. The fear, the confusion, the grief. All of it, not real. Just a nightmare.

She runs up the stairs to the well house door quickly and wrenches the door open. Only to have her feet suddenly nailed to the ground in shock.

Because, where her home is supposed to be? There's nothing there. Just ash, and some falling-down ruins of a structure. And where her mother is supposed to be standing, smiling at her and waiting with open arms? No one. The shrine grounds are empty, and the sky is grey and drizzling.

It looks like the nightmare hasn't gone away, after all.

Her wide brown eyes, already red from her earlier tears, start to water again. No, no, no. No. This isn't right. This isn't_ right! _

And then her gaze falls on the four grave markers by her beloved Goshinboku, her God Tree, and she can't help but let out a quiet sob. This isn't how it's supposed to be!

Vaguely, she sees a stranger in the ruins of her home. Holding her breath, she shrinks back into the doorway, frightened now of the demons that have taken over her life. Surely this is another monster, come to terrify her and take away even what she has left. She nearly screams out loud when she bumps into someone very solid and warm just behind her. Her whole body whips around in fear.

"Kagome?"

That voice is so familiar. And it's not the voice of a monster. She raises her petrified eyes to confused golden orbs, and suddenly she's crying full out and holding on to Inuyasha like he's the only thing left she has, which in a way, he is. And she doesn't even care that he's just another part of the dream, and that she's only known him two days, and that it doesn't even makes sense that he's here with her on the other side of the well; because he's a good part, and he won't let the demons come and take everything she still has, little as that may be. Because he's her best friend now.

He doesn't say anything else, maybe because he can see the wreck that's left of her home or maybe because she's crying too hard to pay attention, anyway. He just lets her hold on to him and doesn't try to pull away. Which, you know, she thinks is pretty all right, for him.

Kagome isn't sure how long they stay like that. But she does know that when she's finally done sobbing, her heart hurts.

She releases Inuyasha at last, and gives him a look which she hopes says _I'm sorry _and _thank you _and _please stay _all at once. Then she peeks out of the door again like a little mouse and stares at the ruins, her chest aching painfully. She has to look down and check that nothing's really bruised or cut open. It seems like there's a big rip in her heart that's bleeding.

_...Mama..._

Tears still meander down her face slowly, taking their time before dripping off her chin like water out of a leaky faucet. Somewhere deep inside her chest, a quiet sob is left over, and it makes its way out her mouth like a hiccup. Her feet step forward, unevenly, puppet-like. As if she has no choice. As if a puppet-master is somewhere far above, controlling the strings of her disbelief.

The shadow-like figure of the monster from before has vanished, and she is all alone as her soft footfalls disturb the soggy ground. All alone except for the little boy that follows behind her, his pace just as slow as hers.

She finally reaches the God Tree, and the gravestones that lie beneath. They're placed too closely together for there to be real bodies underneath them. Inuyasha understands this, but Kagome doesn't know or care. She just stands, her eyes scanning the words on the markers. Mama always said she was a good reader for her age.

Four grave markers, placed in an outward facing crescent just off to the side of the great tree. From left to right, they read _Higurashi Tetsuya, Higurashi Kaori, Higurashi Kagome _and _Higurashi Souta. _Birth and death dates and a brief epitaph follow below each name.

Wait... Higurashi _Kagome_? Why is her name on a gravestone? She shakes her head tiredly. Nothing in this dreamland makes sense. She turns back to Inuyasha, exhausted of all emotion. She has nowhere else to turn, and nothing else to do here. Mama is gone. Jii-chan and Souta are gone. Daddy is gone. And the only comfort she can picture in her head isn't going to find her standing by this disaster.

"Let's go home," she says.

"Keh," Inuyasha replies, and takes her hand, tugging her back towards the well and their passageway back. "I was waiting for you to say that."

And in spite of herself and everything that's happened here, Kagome feels a smile in her heart.

~/~/~

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><p><strong>Interlude<strong>

_The old well was timeless. It had seen many things, and had been present for many hundreds of years. However, nothing had ever intrigued it quite as much as the silver haired, overprotective inu-hanyou and the reincarnated miko with the chocolate brown eyes._

_It watched as the hanyou fell in love and was betrayed... it watched as the miko went through pain after pain for him, only to be rejected as her preincarnation took his heart. It knew their struggles and eventual happy ending. It saw their whole story, the way the world knew it to go and the thousands of variations it could have, _if. _The well watched, and it wondered._

_It watched as the small hanyou grew up in a world fraught with danger and discrimination against him. It looked on as he left one village for another, time after time, always following after his mother. It saw the innocent miko's house go up in flames. It knew that no one left in that house would survive._

_It saw the scene that took place in another timeline, another life, where the girl climbed out of her era into another one, to meet the young man bound to a tree for fifty years by the wrath of a woman scorned. It saw that scene eaten by the flames along with the house of the shrine keepers. And, with that moment disappearing into the billowing smoke, it saw the hanyou bound for all eternity, youkai ravaging Japan. It saw Tokyo fall and fade as if it had never existed. And then it saw how families and politics worldwide were affected. Best friends, never meeting; wars, never happening; treaties, never signed; trading, never taking place. Businesses never beginning. Children with no birthdays. Couples with no anniversaries. _

_For the future to have the best possible outcome, the miko _had _to know the hanyou._

_And so, when the well saw the little girl, frightened and sad, running towards the dwelling that housed it, it knew what it had to do. It knew where the girl had to go... or rather, _when.

_The well was ready. Was she?_

_And, perhaps most importantly, was he?_

_~/~/~_

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><p>Author's Note: ...I'm a little hesitant about this one, to be honest. And I should probably remove the "humor" category, come to think of it. Because it's really not very lighthearted like I thought it was going to be. But I hope you guys are enjoying it anyway, and aren't too upset about the six-week gap in updates. :) And all the angst. Cause you know, I really don't love torturing my characters like I'm sure you think I do.<p>

AND NO THIS IS NOT THE END. I have so much more to do with this. (: As an exciting extra note, this is the farthest I've ever developed a fanfiction idea thus far! Yay for milestones! Of course, this could also be seen in the light that I am really not very experienced... oh well. Make of it what you wish, I **will** finish this story.

Also, I've added a story progress notice to my profile. So, you know, you can tell whether I've dropped off the face of the earth or not during some especially long waiting periods. X) My projection for this story is also posted there, if you care to look. We're about halfway through. ^_^

Good news, guys! WINTER BREAK IN LESS THAN SEVEN DAYS! Which means two and a half weeks of me having no homework or other commitments, pretty much! So you can probably expect an update again next weekend, unless Writer's Block (o.k.a. my laziness) comes back to bite me in the heel. Anyway, let me conclude this rather long author's note with a request- for reviews. (Like you didn't see that one coming.)

So yeah! I think that's everything, finally! *whew* Review, please, and let me know what's running through your head after this chapter and/or the ridiculously rambling part here at the end. Hehe. Have a great week as you prepare yourselves for Christmas and/or finals! (Mine are next week... save me... DX) Thanks to everyone who's been following this story and giving me feedback! You people are lovely(:

-Lady E


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. As usual.

Author's Note: Very briefly. Great songs for this chapter are "Broken Praise" by Todd Smith and "I'm With You" by Nichole Nordeman and Amy Grant. Yes, they're Christian songs. But trust me, oh do they fit this chapter.

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><p><strong>Chapter Seven<strong>

The journey back home seems to take forever and yet only a moment to Inuyasha.

Kagome refuses to let go of his hand, and he doesn't bother her about it like he normally would. He can still hear her sniffling as he pulls them down into the well and into that strange, ethereal place in-between. He can feel the hurt and the sadness that she's feeling, and it hurts him, too.

Then, they arrive back into the place that smells familiar to Inuyasha, and he is relieved. He still doesn't understand anything about this strange well, and wasn't sure whether it would take them back home or to some unfamiliar, novel world. Kagome clings to him as he jumps out of the deep hole, just as before, and then they are walking back through the forest as the setting sun paints beautiful colors on the sky. Glancing back shows him that the girl is staring up at the fiery clouds above with a strange expression, almost empty.

He squeezes her hand, and she looks at him with those huge, hopeless brown eyes. Something clenches inside of his chest, and he has to look away, before he does something stupid like cry.

~/~/~

Mother doesn't ask questions when they walk through the door. By this time, Kagome has his whole arm in her grip and has her face buried in his shoulder. But when she catches sight of his mother waiting for them, seated on the floor with a peaceful expression on her face, she releases him abruptly and runs to the woman's waiting arms.

She doesn't cry, which surprises Inuyasha. He can hear her breathing, which is fast and ragged, and he can hear her heart, which beats unevenly, but there is no smell of fresh tears in the air. Kagome just holds on to Mother like her life depends on never relaxing her arms, and breathes as the lady strokes her hair. "Shh," she whispers, though the hush is unnecessary, for the girl doesn't make a sound. She rocks her slowly in her embrace. "It'll be all right, Kagome. You're all right."

His worried golden eyes fix on the two females without moving. The situation stays the same for a long, long while, and years later, he'll think back to this time as the moment when he realized that she wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

In the weeks to come, Kagome is quiet and sad, despite Inuyasha's unfailing endeavors to cheer her up. But she is healing, and he can see this. He sees it in the way her eyes light up when he takes her climbing trees and they find a bird's nest with four little white eggs nestled into the grass and twigs. He sees it when she laughs when they play outside one cool day in the falling leaves, and she manages to shove him into a giant pile that they've just gathered, scattering dead foliage everywhere. He sees it in her awed expression when Mother takes them to visit the new baby girl that's just been born to a young couple, and she touches the tiny hands and feet in wonder.

Soon, a month has gone by, and Inuyasha barely notices. Kagome's smile has stopped looking so bittersweet, and her natural, innate joy is in her every expression once more. They do everything together, and in a way, she is the reason that he and Mother are accepted in this village as they have been nowhere else before. For who can hate a woman who cares for a lost little girl as if she was her own child, or fear a little boy who that little innocent girl loves?

Autumn passes all too quickly, and soon the first snow of the winter is upon them. Scant months later, spring arrives, and with it, more change. Kagome no longer wakes him or Mother crying after a nightmare, and she has become familiar with the customs and chores of the village. She doesn't ask anymore about the "strange" things that had so bothered her at first. And she talks to Inuyasha about lots of things.

Most of what they talk about revolves around her own life before she arrived in the well. Inuyasha listens with curiosity to the stories of her family and her school, and asks questions that she has trouble answering, such as, "How does a micro-wave work?";"How can you save a picture of someone?" and "Do instant noodles really exist? Why don't they go bad?" At first, her stories are short and uncomfortable for her to remember. With time, they become longer, more detailed, and more animated.

As spring grows into summer, Inuyasha feels peaceful, a foreign emotion to him up till now. Always before there has been fear to poison his and Mother's happiness. But now, they seem accepted, and most of the villagers are even friendly towards them. He has a best friend, and Mother has a surrogate daughter. Nothing seems wrong, and he thinks that maybe life is looking up for them, all thanks to this one small girl.

~/~/~

A few years have passed in the small village by the well before something is discovered that will change most of the small family's assumptions about their future together.

Inuyasha hasn't noticed before now because he's a hanyou. And hanyou are slow to mature and live for a long, long time. Mother hasn't noticed because the only child she's ever had is so unusual, that she's almost unaccustomed to the growth patterns of human children.

But the villagers are human. And the villagers raise human sons and daughters. And so it is the villagers that are the ones to discover Kagome's abnormality.

It's been four years since Kagome first arrived at their hut, an eight year old girl, and she hasn't changed. At all.

Each year they've celebrated her birthday, and now, she is twelve. Inuyasha hears Mother discussing it with another woman one evening in worried, low tones.

A normal twelve year old girl should be showing her first signs of "developing". (_Whatever that means, _he thinks.) A normal twelve year old girl should be growing into a woman. A normal twelve year old girl should be maturing emotionally and mentally.

But Kagome isn't. Kagome is still eight years old, in every sense of the word but the literal, and no one seems to understand why.

The village people are whispering, and for the first time in Inuyasha's memory, the frightening rumors are not centered around him and Mother. They are focused on the small, adorable girl that has somehow managed to remain small and adorable for much longer than she should.

Inuyasha is afraid for Kagome, and so is Mother. He doesn't see anything wrong with her staying the same- after all, he's the same way- but when he tells Mother this, she says it's unnatural for human girls. She says that Kagome should be getting ready to be married in just a few years, if she was a normal village girl, but that because she was still so little, that was impossible.

He snorts at that. Kagome, married? She's his age! And she's his best friend! She wouldn't leave him for some, some _stranger. _That's silly, and he tells Mother so. She smiles.

"One day, Inuyasha, she _will _be old enough to get married- hopefully. Then what will you do?" Her face is teasing, and her index finger touches him lightly on the nose.

"Well I guess I'll just have to marry her then!" he says proudly. Mother laughs.

"Of course you will, dear. I'm sure she wouldn't have it any other way."

Underneath her teasing front, Inuyasha can tell Mother is afraid. _That's just stupid. How could anyone be afraid of Kagome? I'm not scared at all!_

Well... that's not exactly true. He's not afraid because of her slow growth, no. He _is _afraid that the villagers will do something to her because of her strangeness, yes.

But, afraid of Kagome herself? Keh. Ridiculous.

It's a pity the villagers don't seem to share his sentiments.

Kagome used to play with a few other girls her age, but now those girls are afraid of their perpetually childish playmate, and avoid her. Men and women begin to cast dark, suspicious looks her way. Old ladies gossiping in the street stare at her openly as they whisper. Mother's friends begin to come by their home less and less often.

All terrified of the harmless, lonely girl that doesn't understand their fear.

"Why is everyone so scared of me?" she asks Inuyasha one day. It's late summer, and the heat has them seeking the sheltered shade of the forest. "Why do they hate me? I don't know why I'm like this. But I'm not bad." Her eyes are sad. "I'm not mean, am I? I'm not a bad girl?"

"Keh. You couldn't be bad if you tried," he answers her, giving her a grin. He hopes to make her smile again, and he is successful.

"Thanks."

Mother doesn't know what to do. Two more years pass by, and no change can be seen in Kagome. That's when they decide to leave the village. Too much suspicion and fear has been planted in the minds of the people here, and one night a group of women visit their small home. Mother goes outside to talk to them, and when she comes back in, her dark eyes are troubled. She tells the children to pack their things, and that they're leaving the village.

"Will we come back?" Kagome asks her, her expression plaintive.

"I don't think so, darling," she answers softly.

Within the hour they are on their way, on the main road leading away from their home. Inuyasha grabs Kagome's hand on a sudden whim, and he drags her off into the forest, calling back an assurance to Mother as they go.

They stop at the Goshinboku.

She's told him about how this was a special place to her and her father, and he wants to give her a last chance to say goodbye.

Walking up to the weathered trunk of the tree, she places a hand on it and whispers something that even Inuyasha's keen ears can't catch. And then they walk to the well, where she simply stands a few yards away and waves to it.

Afterwards, her hand finds his as they return to Mother and the old horse the people have given them to help carry the load, and they walk down the road in companionable silence.

~/~/~

Weeks pass, and then the weeks turn into months, and the months into years. The three travel together, staying briefly in many different settlements but never lingering long. Inuyasha learns to hunt and defend himself and others when small youkai attack. He finds this strange, as they have no reason to come after their small group. Three are not worth the trouble when one is a hanyou, he thinks, no matter how young, and there are much larger prey they could go after. But eventually, he learns to accept it and use the opportunities to grow stronger.

Mother has an ulterior motive for traveling like they do, and she tells the two children one day as they are complaining about always being on the move.

"Kagome." She catches the girl's attention with a serious tone. "I don't love you any less for being who you are, and neither does Inuyasha. But it's not normal, and I don't know if it's healthy for you or even why you are this way, darling. I want to find a miko that can tell us why you haven't grown older, before _I_ grow too old. Do you understand?"

Kagome nods, startled into solemnity. Inuyasha watches his mother with wide eyes. He is less surprised that they are searching for a miko to help Kagome than at Mother's mentioning herself growing old. He hasn't ever really put the pieces together, that it will be decades more before he's grown up and that humans only live for a very short time. Now, as he stares at her, though she still has the beautiful face that he has always seen, he can see the slight signs of aging on her face and in the way she stands. She isn't the young woman he always used to see her as. And this frightens him.

Both children are quiet after that, and Inuyasha reaches for his mother's hand.

True to her word, Mother takes them all over the lands in search of a miko wise and powerful enough to "diagnose" Kagome. They often stop and inquire at various villages, and whenever they gain a lead they travel in that direction. Mother is hopeful at first, and they meet with several reputed miko within the course of a year, but to no avail. All are stymied by the girl's condition, and some drive the family away out of fear. Inuyasha notices that Kagome looks more and more concerned after each meeting, not just Mother, and begins to give her reassurance. After all, _he _doesn't think there's anything wrong with her, no matter what anyone else says.

And maybe a part of him deep down is still thinking about the loneliness he's going to feel when the unthinkable happens, and hopes that she stays the way she is, that she could stay with him.

The drive to find an explanation cools a bit after the first year or so, and so the decades pass away. In time, Inuyasha is happy to discover that she is not frozen in time as Mother once feared. The pair do grow up, albeit much slower than usual children, and Mother soon stops worrying so much. Instead, she and Kagome spend a lot of time alone together. When Inuyasha whines about this, he is invited to join them.

"After all, I'm sure you want to know all the _womanly_ things I am teaching Kagome," Mother reasons with a sparkle in her smile. "Especially all about what's going to happen to Kagome's body when she grows up..." Inuyasha backpedals, not even waiting to hear the end of that sentence, and every time after that goes off to sit in a tree while the two spend their time together. He doesn't ask again.

As the years pass for the children, so do they pass for Mother as well. And all too soon, he notices that she has grown old.

She walks a lot slower now, and while he still holds true to the belief that he has the most beautiful mother in the world, she's over sixty now, and her features reflect this. Kagome is the one that ends up doing most of the chores needed, and Inuyasha is the one hunting and collecting nearly all of the food. The next time they arrive at a village, Mother doesn't make them leave within a few weeks. When questioned, she simply replies, "I don't think there's any need to travel just now."

Her long talks with Kagome become more frequent, and she begins to tell tales to Inuyasha of his father in the evenings, long detailed stories of his adventures and how they came together. Her dark eyes are not as bright as they once were, and her long black hair is greying.

It is early autumn one year when she tells the both of them that she's not going to make it through this coming winter.

Kagome just stands and cries against Mother's shoulder. She hasn't cried in a long time now, having grown up more than a little. She now appears around eleven years old, as does Inuyasha, and has been taking more and more responsibility. To see her break down is a rare thing.

Inuyasha feels like someone has slapped him across the face. Mother, gone? Such a thing is inconceivable.

And yet it is inevitable. Mother knows it, and she alone is peaceful and accepting. "I've lived such a very long life, Inuyasha," she tells him, Kagome still clinging to her as if she were a small child again. "Just over seventy years I've had on this earth, and that's such a very long time. I've cherished all the time I've been blessed with to watch my children grow up, and such beautiful young people you've grown to be!"

"Mother," Inuyasha murmurs, and he is in her arms as well as Kagome now.

"It would be selfish of me to wish for yet more time," she continues gently, comforting her children in her frail yet warm embrace. "I know you will both mature into beautiful, strong adults, and I will always be watching over you."

"Mama," Kagome sobs quietly, "what will I do without you? What will we do? We'll be lost. I love you so much!"

"And I love you, darling. I love both of you so much! But you'll see, it will all work out for the best. The kami always has the most perfect plans, remember that if nothing else."

"Yes, Mama."

And Inuyasha is without words, just holding on to the feeling of Mother. He knows now that he won't get the chance to hold her much longer.

~/~/~

Mother is wrong. She does last through the next winter, surviving the cold and snow. It's when the spring rains come that she is to be found dying.

They had remained in the same village all that time, consulting the healer and the miko often in an effort to save the woman who has given so much to them. But in the end, there is nothing to be done. Inuyasha remains by her bedside while Kagome takes care of the afternoon chores, knowing he will call her if anything changes. The rain beats down outside, and the rumble of thunder is heard.

After a long while of silence sitting beside Mother, who is sleeping, Kagome enters the hut in a rush, soaked to the bone despite her wide hat and umbrella. She carries Mother's daily herbs in a package inside her kimono, so as to keep dry.

Inuyasha looks at her, dripping wet and out of breath, and simply shakes his head. Mother has told him earlier in the morning that she refuses to take any more medicine, that it is her time soon.

"I accept it," she had told the young hanyou with a tranquil, if slightly melancholy smile. "You and Kagome should as well."

Kagome's eyes begin to water, and she walks over to Inuyasha with tears slipping down her face. Lightning flashes outside and the thunder rolls, a true tempest. She lays her head on his shoulder as they both turn their gazes towards the sleeping woman. Neither moves all that day, talking in low voices of happier memories and their hopes for the future. Eventually Kagome falls asleep, and Inuyasha feels the warmth of her shoulders against his. He doesn't dare sleep, sensing that Mother's time is near.

It is in the early hours of the morning that the storm subsides at last, and that the sleeping woman's eyes open. He can see her face by the light of the lit candle, and it is tired and worn. He nudges Kagome, and she starts awake, only to calm at the sight of her adoptive mother's awake expression.

"Mama?" she whispers.

"Dearest Kagome, my lovely little girl," Mother murmurs back. "Let me see your face."

Trembling, the girl complies, kissing the lady on her cheek. "I love you, Mama."

"And my precious son, come see me as well," Mother says, beseeching. Inuyasha finds he is shaking as well as he moves over to the other side of his mother's prone form, kissing her on her other cheek.

"I love you too, Mother," he tells her. He feels like it's the most important thing to ever come out of his mouth. He wants her to know that he loves her, just one last time. He won't ever get the opportunity to say it again, and now he feels like he can't possibly have said it enough in his lifetime."I'm going to miss you so much."

The tears are coming now, and he lets them fall. Mother smiles at him.

"I love you both, more than anything. And now it's time for me to... to go. Goodnight, the both of you. I'll miss you both dearly."

And with that, she falls back into her peaceful slumber. She won't wake up again.

~/~/~

As Inuyasha buries his mother's ashes at a beautiful site by a lake, side by side with Kagome, he cries again. He can't help it. And when her gentle hand wraps around his own, when they are finally finished, he turns and holds on to her like she's his anchor. They both feel the loneliness, and hold on to the fact that there is someone else there to grasp, that they are not completely alone in this world that suddenly feels much, much too big.

Inuyasha thinks he's never been so grateful for Kagome.

* * *

><p>Author's Note: Man, I think I almost made myself cry, there at the end.<p>

Well, I have some people to thank for their reviews on chapter six! These wonderful people are: Elantina, Miko-sama, Gina, life, Shining, HelloKittyThong (thank you Mason;) now I think your dad would like his account back, haha), Silver Stella, Flames. He, and Inu-'SIT'-lovekag (I love your pen name!). I was getting kinda down there for a while with a grand total of no reviews, but then you people pulled through, as usual. I really hope you're still enjoying this story. If you could just drop a couple lines about your opinion, I would be so grateful. :)

Another thank you to Black Dahlia for nominating this fic for the Best Friends/Family award on the Inuyasha awards site "Born For Each Other"! Go vote if you feel like it, and check out her recommendations for other great fics while you're at it. She's got some good ones, folks!

Sorry if I don't have another chance to update until after Christmas. Things are about to get real hectic at my house. But I'm fairly confident I'll find some time Thursday/Friday to work on this. Again, if you've got any questions just take a look at my profile. I update that sucker fairly often. ;)

Thank you guys for THIRTY THREE reviews so far! I'm so happy about that. Might not seem like much to some, but dang it, I'm proud! X) I'm really not so sure about this chapter, so if you could provide me with some feedback I will provide you with lots of smiles(:

Merry (early) Christmas!

Lady E


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

Author's Note: Here we go, Chapter Eight! Took me forever 'cause of Christmas stuff=/ sorry. Anyway. It's a bit more lighthearted than previous ones, so hope you enjoy! (Also a heads up- the genre has gone from Friendship/Hurt/Comfort to Friendship/Romance... ;)

A special thank-you goes to Elantina for being my informal beta for this chapter. Couldn't do it without ya girl!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Eight<strong>

After Mother dies, Kagome and Inuyasha don't come back to the village by the lake for a long, long time.

Watching her adoptive mother slowly slip into death is not easy for Kagome. Lots of tears are shed when Izayoi finally breathes her last, just as a new day is breaking. Inuyasha is like a statue as he stands and looks at her closed eyes. She can still imagine them open, the dark orbs sparkling with light and love.

Kagome runs over to Inuyasha and buries her head in his haori, and his arms come up awkwardly around her to hold her. They are, despite aging technicalities, just two lonely preteen children, that have now lost their greatest source of protection and love. Kagome's heart aches, so terribly she thinks that there must be a small youkai inside eating away at it, and she holds on to Inuyasha tighter. But he can't defend her from this pain, she knows, as much as he may want to.

Both of the women she called "Mama" have now been ripped from their places inside her heart, and the healing pains will be deep and long in stopping, and will scar the girl's innocent hopefulness for the first time.

They wander around the countryside for a long time, almost a year, before any real goal for their journeying occurs to them. Neither of them really wants to stop in at any villages, to be reminded of the routine that they used to follow with Mother there to guide them. They stick to the forests, mainly, even though the threat of youkai attack is greater. Kagome never really feels scared, because by this time Inuyasha has gotten rather good at defending against the foul demons. Nothing really big ever comes after them, anyway.

However, their search for a knowledgeable miko doesn't stop just because Lady Izayoi is gone. Kagome is curious still, especially after all the talks she'd had with the woman about growing up. She realizes now that Izayoi must have known all along, ever since the village by the well, that Kagome would have to mature on her own, and had tried to give her all the advice and knowledge she could before passing on.

As well as information so she would know what to expect as she grew into her womanhood, Mother had also passed down to the girl the traditions of the women in this world, something special from a mother to a daughter in this place that Izayoi considered almost sacred. She had been a princess, Kagome had discovered, so her early assumption that her adoptive mother was royalty was true after all. She enjoyed listening to the lady's stories of her life growing up, and paid special interest to the tale of romance between Izayoi and the Inu no Taisho as she had grown older, and how the lady had been cast out by her family for marrying a youkai, even though he was Lord of the Western Lands. Marriage traditions, as well as childbirth procedures and rules appropriate for courting, had all been passed down to the young raven-haired girl with reverence.

"But, Mama, why would I need to know the traditions of a princess?" Kagome had asked her one day. "I'm just a regular girl. I won't need all these fancy rules."

"Ah, but you _are _a princess, darling," Izayoi had replied with a smile. "You are my honorary daughter, my ward, and the ward of royalty is also considered royal."

"So does that make Inuyasha a prince?" she'd asked next, wrinkling her nose. "He sure doesn't act like one!"

"Yes it does," the lady responded with a laugh. "You have a funny mind, Kagome. I enjoy listening to you."

Oh, how she misses the lady!

~/~/~

Years pass, as they will. And eventually, before long, Kagome has her first, rather memorable, experience with womanhood.

She's known this day was coming for a while now. Lady Izayoi has done plenty to prepare her for it, certainly. She's noticed her body growing, in more directions than up, and has long since left the shameless ignorance of childhood when she could change and bathe around Inuyasha without much of a fuss, if necessary. Her moods have grown more melancholy and snappish of late, and although she has been forewarned, the telltale signs don't register with her until after the fact. And by then of course, it is much, much too late to save the happy unawareness of her traveling companion and his unfortunately sensitive nose.

They've just set up camp for the afternoon in a little opening in the trees of the forest. The sun is tilted to the west, orange rays of light casting their watercolors across the canvas of the sky. The scene somehow causes Kagome's heart to hurt, for no understandable cause, and unwilling tears gather in the corners of her eyes. Inuyasha's gone to gather firewood, and she just stares at the way the sun sets the clouds aflame as she subconsciously wonders why her mood has unpredictably gone south.

Suddenly, she feels it. An uncomfortable sensation, to say the least, and then she's paralyzed. Because there is absolutely no way she's peed her pants like a six year old. Absolutely no way. Blood rushes to her face as she sits on the ground in mortification, wondering what to do, what on earth can she do before Inuyasha comes-

"Hey, Kagome, I'm back," calls a familiar voice through the trees, and not two seconds later the hanyou himself comes walking back into sight, a fair-sized pile of brush under his arm.

Her mind, previously trying to figure out how to sneak off and change clothes without him noticing, freezes, and all helpful thoughts fly out the window, leaving her drawing a blank with several expletives and no good excuses. "Umm... hey, I-Inuyasha!" she answers him, perhaps a bit too cheerfully. "F-Find enough firewood?"

"Yeah, easier than usual 'cause-" He breaks off, sniffing the air, and she winces in anticipation. _No way to avoid the humiliation now._

"Kagome?"

"Yeah?" She hopes her voice isn't shaking too bad.

He bounds over to her and gets up in her face, frowning. "Did you get hurt? How come you were crying?"

This throws her. She thought he was going to make fun of her for the unmistakable smell. He couldn't possibly have missed it, not with his nose! So why is he asking her if she's hurt?

"No," she says, eyebrows furrowing in confusion, momentarily forgetting her mortifying circumstances. She evades the second question. "Why would you think I was hurt?"

"I smell your blood!" he answers her, face still confused and worried. "Are you sure you didn't cut yourself anywhere?"

And then, after one, illuminating beat of silence, all the puzzle pieces click together for the poor girl. Her first irrational reaction is to sigh quietly in relief. At least everything makes _sense_ now!

Then the full realization of her exact situation hits her, and she flushes an even deeper red as her embarrassment more than doubles. _Why does this kimono have to be so darn light blue?_

"Ah, um... well..." Dear Kami, how is she going to get herself out of this one? "You see... it's, ha, kind of complicated..."

He's getting frustrated. "Jeez, if you know what's wrong then out with it!"

Her unbalanced hormones decide that they don't like his tone, and she gets angry.

"You idiot, what do you THINK is wrong? I got my dang _period_, THAT'S what's wrong! _Kami,_ you're such a JERK, Inuyasha! _Ugh_!"

And for once, her fearless hanyou has nothing to say, his mouth hanging open to the forest floor in shock.

They stay that way for too long, Kagome fuming and Inuyasha frozen, before she harrumphs and turns her head to the side. The hanyou collects himself and begins to flush pink.

"Er..."

"Just hand me my bag and give me your haori for now so I can go change, you idiot."

~/~/~

One day, another important discovery is made about Kagome. When she reflects back on it later, she decides that this was a much happier milestone in her development as an adult.

It is the tenth anniversary of Lady Izayoi's death. Kagome knows because she's counted the days, all three thousand, six hundred and fifty of them. After her arrival from the well decades ago, she has kept track of the passing years, something common people don't make a habit of. But she likes to know how much time has passed, even if the exact month and day elude her. A way of marking her age, since her appearance obviously doesn't reflect it. After all, she and Inuyasha are decades old, and yet they just now have the physical and emotional maturity of thirteen year old children.

She knows that forty years have gone by since she first came through the well, and that Inuyasha has lived for thirty-one more besides that. Forty years, and twenty-nine of them spent with Izayoi. Compared to the eight before that with her first mother, the lady is at least as dear to her heart as that other woman. She doesn't admit it to Inuyasha, but sometimes she tries to remember back all those years, and finds that she can't recall her first mother's face.

This scares her more than any youkai.

Funny that she should use that analogy, she thinks, because crashing through the trees comes such a creature right now.

Inuyasha tenses from where he's been walking beside her, and settles into a crouch in front of her, claws out and his expression determined. She takes a moment to see that he really has grown up a lot from the little boy she first met upon her arrival, even though he's still got a ways to go before he is truly a man.

The youkai is a fearsome one, a large, nasty insectoid woman with the torso of a woman and the modesty of a wild animal. She so kindly introduces herself as Mistress Centipede, her voice hissing and grating on Kagome's eardrums. The girl tries to tune her out, with little success, waiting for Inuyasha to go ahead and strike, as is the usual custom. Under her irritation lies fear. The youkai is larger and stronger than anything they've had to defend against before...

She's still talking... something about a "sacred jewel"? Kagome is confused, because she knows that she's never owned any jewelry. But as soon as the demoness threatens the girl directly, Inuyasha gets angry and springs.

"We don't have any jewel, and you're going to leave Kagome _alone_!" he snarls at her, swiping at her with his razor sharp claws.

Kagome is rather terrified by now. This "Mistress Centipede" is more powerful than any minor youkai they've faced in the past, and her companion seems so, so small in comparison to her massive stature.

The fight progresses and Kagome watches in awe, as Inuyasha displays agility and power that she hadn't known he had in him before today. She thinks he might even be surprising himself, especially when he throws deadly crescent blades of his own blood from a minor wound at his opponent. Neither of them have ever known that such an attack was possible. Despite this, he isn't strong enough to defeat her on his own, and both of them can see this.

She fears for his life more than her own. And then the demon mistress strikes him, and he falls to the ground, unmoving. Her heart fills with sudden fear as she looks at his prone form. Without thinking, she jumps out of the cover of trees to stand protectively over his body as she screams at the youkai.

"You're nasty and vile, and I don't have any jewel! You deserve to DIE, so leave us ALONE!"

From within Kagome, she feels a power she's never experienced before, and it startles her a little. Instinctively, she raises her hand in defense against the youkai who is now speeding down at them like a striking snake, and a powerful pink blast erupts, engulfing everything in its pure light. She has to shut her eyes against the glow.

When she opens them, centipede innards are everywhere, strewn about the forest, and no trace of the evil youkai's face can be found. Mistress Centipede is no more, and Kagome spends several awed moments just staring at the carnage and at her hand, which still pulsates slightly from the previous outburst of pink energy. Then, movement from behind her causes her to come back to her senses, and she quickly kneels down beside Inuyasha.

He's bloody and bruised from the fight, and a wound on his shoulder is bleeding rather profusely. However, his golden eyes are open wide, and he's staring at her as though seeing her for the first time. It makes Kagome flush pink a little, uncomfortable.

"Are you all right?" she asks quickly. He sits up slowly, groaning a little, but otherwise showing no sign of pain. He keeps staring at her incredulously.

"Keh, I'm fine. What about _you_? What was _that_?"

Kagome shrugs. A glance down proves her hands are trembling from the leftover adrenaline still. She's just as mystified as he is. "I don't know! It came out of nowhere! I just knew... I wasn't... going to let you die," she finishes with embarrassment.

For a moment he doesn't respond, and the awkward feeling in the air stretches like a rubber band. Then, finally, he says, "Thanks, Kagome."

There is more emotion in his voice than she would have ever expected. Her head raises up from her shaking hands, and they still as she looks into his sincere face. "I'd have died, without you," he adds, slowly and solemnly.

"I-I don't even know what I did," she stammers, flustered. Her face is surely red as the hide of the fire rate Inuyasha always wears by now. "There's, there's no need to say thank you. You'd have done the same for me." To cover her embarrassment at his sudden intense gaze, she begins to search through her pack for bandages, though they both know from past experience that in a few hours they'll be purposeless. Expertly, she pushes one sleeve of his haori to the side and begins to wrap his shoulder.

"Oh, no," he breaks the busy silence after a few minutes, and his hand is on the sleeve of her green kimono before she knows it. "I got blood all over you." Indeed, when she inspects her clothing with dismay, dark red stains the light fabric along her sleeves. But she has two more kimono besides this one, and the image of his fall to the ground while Mistress Centipede strikes still makes breathing difficult.

"I don't really think that matters very much," she answers dryly, gesturing to the source of the bleeding. "I can replace the clothes. You, not so much." And her teasing smile has him looking away with a "feh".

After that day, they decide to stop by the next sizable settlement to inquire after a miko, hopefully to answer their questions about Kagome's strange power.

Upon arriving, though they receive all the suspicion that accompanies receiving a hanyou into a human community, Kagome boldly asks after the priestess of the village. The woman they are sent to is named Sayuri. She has long, luxurious hair, though it is grey, and her wrinkled features seem more from smiling than hardship. Her body is thin and frail, though her back is not bent and she retains the vestiges of the physical ability of her youth. And something in her sharp dark eyes speaks of power beyond her appearance.

Inuyasha refuses to enter the hut, instead opting to stay in the trees nearby. Kagome knows he can still hear them, however.

After showing her respect and explaining her story, she waits patiently for the miko's response.

"Two queries you have put to me," Sayuri says slowly, after a pause. "One is of a sacred jewel, and the other of your strange powers. The second is easier to answer than the first." The old woman takes another pause, gathering her thoughts, it seems, before she continues.

"The pink light that came from your hand, child, is obvious evidence that you are a miko, like myself. Indeed, I can feel your aura even as we speak, and you have great potential, indeed."

Kagome is too stunned to speak.

"I see you are surprised," Sayuri says with amusement.

After a moment, she recovers her voice. "But... but how? We've seen other miko- they never noticed a thing!"

"Often, spiritual powers lay dormant, until a moment of need arrives, in which case you act instinctively to save yourself, as in the situation with the centipede youkai. It seems the Kami intended your ability to awaken now, for whatever reason that may be.

"Yes, child, you have great power. And perhaps I can aid you in discovering your true potential. But first, I must address your second topic, if I may." The girl nods mutely in acquiescence, and the miko begins.

"Many generations ago, a powerful miko called Midoriko unintentionally created the Sacred Jewel, the Shikon no Tama, as she battled with many youkai. Her soul, combined with the other demons she fought, are trapped within this jewel, always engaged in a never-ceasing battle for all eternity, so long as the gem exists. The jewel of four souls, as it is also and accurately known, possesses great powers, and whether they are used for good or evil completely depends on its bearer. It is rumored to grant the holder any wish they so desire, and for this reason, many humans and youkai alike lust after its power.

"However, the jewel disappeared many, many years ago, and it is only by truth of legend that the miko of this generation know of it. Hardly common knowledge. It is disturbing to me that this youkai spoke of it, and I can think of no explanation as to why she thought you had it in your possession."

Kagome, who has been listening with rapt attention, nods as Sayuri concludes her story. "I thank you, very much, for your assistance, miko-sama."

"Think nothing of it, child," the old woman smiles. "However, if you wish to remain here more permanently, I can teach you many things about your powers, and how to utilize them wisely and effectively."

Oh, how she longs to say yes right away! But a silver-haired hanyou, who she knows has been listening to every word they've been saying, flashes to the forefront of her mind. "Would you mind if I spoke with my companion, first, before I give you my decision?" she asks, hesitant.

"By all means."

She nearly trips over her own feet in her rush to leave and find Inuyasha. He's up a tree close by, as usual, and comes down when he hears her calling his name. His expression is one of amazement.

"You? A miko?" he begins immediately, awed. "And to think I've known you so long, and we never figured it out! Mother never even suspected! "

"I guess we had no reason to, until recently." She smiles teasingly. "So you can thank yourself for my spiritual powers showing up now!"

"Keh. I would've been fine without your help!"

"Sure, Inuyasha, whatever you say."

The boy's face turns serious. "So, you gonna stay? And train with her?"

It's clear that this is the real question that's been preoccupying him all along, and she finds it hard to gauge his expression as he asks it. "I'm... I'm not sure. Do you think I should?"

He thinks carefully for a moment. "I think you should do what you think is right for you... but I'm not so sure the villagers would appreciate me sticking around."

Her eyes grow sad at his response, and a little panicked. As much as she hates it, she knows that his worry is not unfounded. But she just can't imagine her life without her best friend there with her. Even just the idea of such a life makes her hurt inside.

_What's he saying?_ "Oh..."

But at her reaction, his face suddenly grows determined. "But hey, who gives a crap about what they think? Feh. If _you_ wanna stay, then I sure ain't gonna let some dumb _humans_ run _me_ off!"

When Kagome hears his words, her joy is so overflowing that it's not enough to just thank him. She throws her arms around him and hugs him tight.

"Oh, Inuyasha! I could just..." and instead of finishing her thought verbally, she pulls back, stands on her tiptoes, (_when did he get so __tall__?_) and presses her lips lightly to his cheek. Giggling at his stunned reaction and reddening face, she backs away and runs to go give the old miko her answer.

~/~/~

Several years more pass by peacefully in the village, and Kagome grows up in more ways than one. Her fighting skills improve exponentially, and she masters the bow and arrow almost as if it the weapon were designed to fit her arms alone. She learns skill with herbs and the healing arts as well, Lady Sayuri teaching her everything she knows about antidotes and healing potions. Her body matures yet further, thankfully allowing her to remain there for longer than she would have otherwise been able to. Inuyasha grows along with her, and he and the people of the village maintain an uneasy peace because of his assistance in fending off malicious youkai attacks.

Kagome now appears around fourteen or fifteen, and suddenly she is eternally grateful for the intimidating presence of her hanyou companion, for she notices several of the men in the village eyeing her with interest.

She is not as naïve as she might appear. She remembers from her early days how her adoptive mother worried over her marriage one day, and realizes as she attends a few weddings of the village girls her age that she is considered "ripe for the picking" by the social community in general.

Inuyasha appears to take notice of the general interest in Kagome as well, and begins accompanying her more often when she leaves the hut she shares with her mentor. (He himself prefers sleeping in the forest.) His baleful scowl and demonic characteristics, coupled with his fierce protectiveness, provide her with the label of "taken" and welcome relief from any advances men might otherwise have made.

Of course, with the issue of men and their interest in her as a wife comes memories of her father. Though he's crossed her mind fairly regularly ever since she first arrived in Inuyasha's world, now he begins to ghost through her dreams almost every night. She but dimly recalls his face, and his voice, once so clear in her inner ear when she was a child, is now flat and toneless, only his words remaining in her memory. However, despite this, he remains ever present in the back of her mind, and she sighs often with his absence. She remembers the warmth of his presence and touch most of all, and longs to have that once again.

So, all in all, Inuyasha's near-constant presence is not terrible at all. And Kagome begins to notice more little details about her hanyou that, somehow, she'd missed before. Like just exactly how much he's beginning to fill out lately, after years of defending her from youkai and hunting for the two of them. And the deeper tones of his voice when he calls her name. And how his jaw is somehow more defined than before, and were his eyes always that exact rich shade of molten amber?

In the daytime, her training with Lady Sayuri becomes less focused as daydreams of his features creep into her mind unexpectedly, especially when, one sweltering summer afternoon, she catches him with his torso bared, watching her archery practice with the elder miko at the edge of the forest. For days after, the sight lurks in her subconscious. Her dreams begin to be filled with his face, as well as her father's. She often wishes, wistfully, that they could have met. She thinks that Daddy would have liked him.

These sensations, these feelings, they should frighten and confuse her. Truly they should. And yet, somehow, she is able to welcome them, if not become completely at peace with them.

Not too many months after these unsettling experiences begin to assault the young miko, the day comes when her older teacher comes to her with her hands upturned.

"Child, I have no more to teach you," she tells her student with a slight smile on her creased visage. "You have done so well. I commend you on your diligence and skill. Anything you have yet to learn is not for this old woman to instruct you in."

"Thank you, miko-sama," responds the younger female in gratitude. "I am forever indebted to you for all that you have taught me."

"It was a pleasure, Kagome, dear."

The girl's brown eyes begin to fill with tears. "I'm not certain if we'll meet again, Lady Sayuri; it's unlikely Inuyasha will want to stay much longer or return again, now that my training is complete. I can't tell you how much these past few years have meant to me."

The esteemed miko takes her hands in her own and offers her a grandmotherly smile. "They've been good years, child. I know you'll go far, I can feel it. You're destined for great things, my girl!"

After making their departure but two days later, Kagome's prediction proves to be true. Never again do the pair cross paths with the venerable priestess, but Kagome carries the lessons she's learned close to her heart.

~/~/~

They haven't been on the road for five days before she begins to notice Inuyasha staring at her.

Whenever he thinks she might not be looking, his gaze fixes on her with an intensity that almost makes her jump. She can feel it, almost like a physical touch, and butterflies erupt in her stomach every time it happens.

_What is this? _she wonders. _How can he affect me so?_

It's late at night on the sixth day when Kagome wakes up in a rush, startled out of her sleep. By the dying embers of the fire she can see Inuyasha's alert expression as he leans against a tree, and she sits up in her bedding.

"Can you feel it?" she whispers, picking up the bow and quiver of arrows she has acquired during her sojourn with Lady Sayuri.

"Feel wha-" the hanyou's confused sentence cuts off abruptly as he too senses the strong _youki_ approaching at a quick pace.

"Whatever it is, it's powerful," Kagome mutters, quickly locating her bow and loosely fitting an arrow to the string. "Really, really powerful." _And not very friendly, _she thinks to herself, biting her bottom lip nervously.

"It... it almost seems... familiar..." muses Inuyasha aloud, mostly to himself. Kagome doesn't know what to make of his words, so she ignores them. A few beats of silence pass after his words, the air taut with tangible anticipation.

And then, as the last of the glowing embers sputter into nothingness and leave the pair in the cold night, they can see it.

A tall, imposing figure descends from the skies, white robes billowing in the wind, his formidable-looking armor glinting in the light of the moon. Her first impression is one of awe and beauty. Gravity seems to have no effect on the creature, and he remains suspended above the earth far too long to be natural. His youki is so powerful as to nearly overwhelm the girl, and she feels something within her pulse as if in response. _It must be my miko powers. _

Kagome almost mistakes him for a female, so elegant are the youkai's features and so luxurious his long white hair. But no, his stature is unmistakably masculine. His fierce golden gaze is superior, sharp purple stripes accentuating his cheekbones and a blue crescent moon adorning his forehead. The tips of his ears taper to refined points, and his attire and armor, as well as the sword at his hip, speak of royal origin.

Everything about his demeanor threatens to paralyze her with fear and respect. His very presence seems to demand subordination.

"Sesshomaru," Inuyasha mutters, tensing.

~/~/~

* * *

><p>Author's Note: Yayyy for cliffhangers! ;) Hope you liked this update, it's about a thousand words longer than usual, haha.<p>

Thank you for the overwhelming flood of reviews that kept my phone buzzing for days! They made me smile so much, even if I didn't really get a chance to reply to any of them yet. (: Appreciation for reviews on chapter seven goes to; Elantina, FormidableRain, Inu-'SIT'-loveKag, Gina, life, Shining, HelloKittyThong (okay...;), glon morski, and SilverStella. Thanks guys, you made me excited to post this. ^_^

Thanks also to all the people who favorited and put me on alerts. Hope you'll come out and decide to review this time around! Feedback is always appreciated, from _everyone_. :)

As another note, 'Early Crossing' has been nominated on the Inuyasha Awards site "Born for Each Other" as best Friends/Family fic. There's still one day of voting left, and the link is on my profile. If you guys would go vote for my story I would much appreciate it. Thanks again to Black Dahlia for the nomination!

So anyway, I think that pretty much wraps it up for now. I might not update again until after Christmas, seeing as how I'll be with family and stuff. I hope you guys have a very Merry Christmas!

Lady E


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. (Anyone ever noted how depressing these are to do? ;)

Author's Note: No, you aren't dreaming. I'm actually updating. (: You can thank Elantina for that, by the way. (THANK YOU TO THE BEST INFORMAL BETA EVER! Love you, girl!) Go ahead and read haha, there's a longer A/N at the end. I hope you enjoy! I'm really, really nervous about this one... hope you've got some time, cause it's the longest one yet!

Warning: contains mild profanity... =/ (I'm not happy with that... darn you, Inuyasha, why d'you have to swear like a sailor?)

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Nine<strong>

Inuyasha deals with his mother's death the way he deals with everything else unpleasant- he doesn't think about it.

It's easy to find distractions, after all. One that requires his attention every day is getting food and all the necessary things for survival. Since villages are really not where either of them want to be at the current time, they travel in the forest, mostly. And although she matures just as slowly as he does, Kagome is most definitely one hundred percent human. This means that, because neither of them know how to use a bow and/or spear, Inuyasha has to take over the hunting with his natural claws. He often jokes about how she's a burden. Both of them know that he doesn't mean it.

Fighting the various youkai that come after them is another easy distraction, one that his claws are also needed for. As Inuyasha grows up, he finds more and more interesting abilities that he's capable of. Like his "blades of blood". That one ends up helping Kagome discover new abilities she has, as well. Like shooting deadly rays of purification energy out of her bare hands.

Yup, definitely grateful for that centipede youkai now.

Absolutely the most unexpected distraction of all is Kagome herself. But he thinks that she might be the most welcome (and effective) one of all.

It's definitely awkward and uncomfortable the first time that she has... well, that "thing". It starts to periodically freak him out when "the thing" becomes a regular "thing" and he has to smell her bleeding every thirty days or so and not be able to do anything about it. But even so, she's still the same Kagome as ever.

When they approach the new village in hopes that this priestess will finally be able to shed some light on the situation, and he finds out that his best friend and traveling companion since childhood is a miko? Yeah, he's surprised. And yeah, at first he's a little scared that she'll leave him. Because whoever heard of a hanyou and a miko as friends? But she's still the Kagome that he's always known in his mind, and when she looks so worried as she asks him if he would mind staying, he is filled with joy. _She doesn't think of me any differently! She still sees me as Inuyasha. Not a dirty hanyou, but her best friend._

And he is completely content with this.

However, during their stay in the old miko's village, somewhere during all his alone time while she is off training, he starts to notice little things about her that he doesn't remember being there before. Was her hair always that exact shade of glossy black? And her eyes so sparkly brown? And has the curve of her neck always been so slender? And, what about her... other, curves...?

He feels his face heat up every time he thinks about Kagome like this. But the more he notices himself getting taller and stronger, his voice getting deeper (after one incredibly embarrassing week during which he refused to speak to Kagome at all), the more he notices that, well, she's a... girl.

It's an uncomfortable realization, to say the least.

Soon, she abandons her few light-colored kimono for the more appropriate white kosode and red hakama, befitting of a miko, which Lady Sayuri provides for her. However, she refuses to bind back her hair as traditional miko do, leaving it to fall down her back in long black waves. He begins to watch her during her training with the bow and arrow, and admires how she learns so quickly. She is fast becoming the best shot out of all the archers in the village, and the old woman tells her so often. But he is also slightly apprehensive. Because once Kagome gets good enough with her miko powers, she's not going to have a reason to stay here in the village anymore. She's going to want to leave, and expect him to want to go, too. Which would mean they would go back to traveling all the time, together.

Like, _alone_ together.

He's not sure he can handle days on end with no one but the new, unmistakably _female _Kagome there with him and still keep his sanity intact.

However, his opinion changes drastically when he notices all the other men. All the other men that like to watch _his _Kagome. His anger rises every time he catches one of them talking with her, making her giggle, or following her with their eyes as she goes around the village. He begins to walk with her everywhere, making sure that all the males in that miserable little settlement know that _she_ _isn't available. _The thought doesn't cross his mind that by all rights they should know that already, because of her miko status.

After all, none of those sissy boys are good enough for her. It's just his job as her best friend to make sure that none of them hurt her. And that's the only reason that he's started referring to her as 'his' in his mind. And wanting to always be around her. And imagining castrating all the males in the area that dare to strike up a conversation with her.

Well, keh! Who asked you, anyways?

They have both matured to the point of about fifteen or sixteen human years by the time the old woman tells her that Kagome's learned all that she has to offer. Inuyasha positively cannot wait until they're traveling again, and she's out of sight of all those other pairs of male eyes. Then he thinks he'll be able to breathe again.

Two days later, after she's said her goodbyes to all her friends in the village and packed her things, they're on the road again. And Inuyasha is far from breathing easy.

He can't stop looking at her. It's impossible to keep his eyes off of her for more than five minutes at a time. She draws his gaze like a moth to a flame, hypnotic. He can feel the blood pumping through his veins, and his heart beating in his ears.

_H__ow can she possibly have this much of an effect on me? _he wonders.

They've been traveling for what seems like an eternity (but what's probably only a few days) when something big happens.

It's late at night, and he's sitting up against a tree, watching Kagome's sleeping face by the light of the dying fire. He's supposed to be on the lookout for an incoming youkai attack, but he's distracted by thoughts of the peaceful girl before him. It nearly makes him jump out of his own skin when she sits bolt upright, her eyes wide. She searches the darkness until she finds his face.

"Can you feel it?" she whispers, hunting around the ground with her hands until she finds her bow and arrows. Her eyes don't leave his face.

He is confused for a moment, his muscles tensed. "Feel wha-"

And there it is. The _youki _which Kagome woke up to. It's powerful, so powerful that Inuyasha is terrified. Terrified that he can't win this fight, that they'll both die here.

But under the fear, there is an almost primal understanding. The demon instincts within him react to the new presence in a way that he hasn't felt since he was a tiny pup.

"It... it almost seems... familiar..." he mutters, searching his memory for something that felt like this. It almost... almost feels like-

_Alpha._

Just as his golden eyes widen in shock and disbelief, because it can't possibly be _Father, _his attention is drawn to a figure glowing white, descending from the night sky. His armor gleams from the light of the moon. As he touches down to earth, Inuyasha's eyes make out fierce purple stripes adorning his face and a regal golden gaze similar to his own. _Inu-youkai._ A blue crescent moon is stamped onto his forehead, above his elegant brow.

He stands to intimidate, and for one, fleeting moment, Inuyasha is almost brought to his knees by the overpowering cry of _ALPHA _that his inner youkai resonates with. But then, his earliest childhood memories return, and he glares at the new, threatening youkai with hate and disgust enough to overcome his instinctual urge to submit.

"Sesshomaru," he growls, rising from the ground and crouching in front of Kagome.

~/~/~

Inuyasha can't believe his own eyes.

His jerk of a half-brother hasn't shown his ugly face around him for decades, since before he was old enough to talk properly. However, the hatred that he harbors for his older sibling has been fermenting for years, born from his bitter childhood memories. His face twists into a scowl. Sesshomaru has never meant anything good, and him turning up now, when Inuyasha's life just seems to be looking up, doesn't speak well at all.

_If this guy thinks he's gonna do _anything_ to Kagome, then he's got another think coming!_

He can hear the girl's gasp behind him as she beholds the tai-youkai, and he can smell her fear in the air. A low growl rips out from between his teeth. Her presence gives him the strength to stand and shield her even when every instinct in his body is screaming at him to bow down and submit to his alpha.

"Sesshomaru!" he calls out across the silent gap between them. His glare is filled with unadulterated loathing. The expression is unfamiliar to his still-youthful features. "What the hell are you doing here?"

The elder youkai shows no emotion at the accusation. He simply stares coldly, dispassionately, and begins to close the gap. His pace is slow, leisurely._ After all, no need to hurry for a filthy, dishonorable hanyou._Inuyasha thinks he's going to burst from the tension, from longing to spring and yet wanting desperately to take Kagome and run as far away as possible; from needing to grovel before the alpha and also to defy this person that made his childhood a misery when he could have saved Mother and him from being outcasts and wanderers. His fear is crippling, and his fury empowering.

His divided, tumultuous emotions are enough to keep him in place, trembling with the effort of will, while Sesshomaru continues his inexorable approach. He is terrified, not for himself, but for Kagome, because even he isn't proud enough to believe that he could defeat his half-brother. He is so, so very afraid of losing his home, his best friend... and he also fears what would happen to her if he was no longer there to protect her. No good option is available. There is no running or hiding from the great inu-youkai, and no fighting him, either.

At last, Sesshomaru comes to a stop, not five yards away, his icy gaze intense and deadly.

"Inuyasha," he begins, his tone betraying the disdain he holds for the hanyou before him. "I see you've survived the years."

"Keh," he retorts, in as biting a tone as he can manage, hoping it masks the way his voice wants to shake. "No thanks to you! You practically threw me and Mother out in the wilderness!"

Sesshomaru curls his lip over gleaming white fangs. "I refused to accept our father's mistake of a pup as legitimate kin, yes," he replies, and it takes every ounce of will Inuyasha has to keep on his feet at the superior golden gaze levelled his way. "However, the human woman was welcome to stay, if she so wished. This Sesshomaru is not responsible for her refusal of his offer."

"Like hell she was gonna leave her newborn kid in the forest to get eaten by some random youkai, and you knew it, asshole!"

"Why do you insist on discussing the past? The woman is quite obviously long dead, and such events are irrelevant at the present time."

Inuyasha thinks he's going to snap, right then and there. His vision takes on a reddish hue.

"Says YOU!" he spits out violently. His hands tremble with the suppressed urge to lunge. "That's my _mother _you're talking about, you, you..." Words fail him in his rage. "_You don't deserve to talk about her!_"

"Tsk, tsk, little brother," Sesshomaru says, soft and dangerous. "Remember to whom you are speaking. Don't do anything... you'd not live to regret."

And he is forced to concede the truth of the statement. The crimson recedes from his field of vision, and he comes back to his senses enough to pay attention to his surroundings once more- including the painfully fragile human girl standing behind him, who has not heard any of this story before.

"Inuyasha?" she whispers to him, her voice steady but thin. "You are brothers with this... Sesshomaru?"

Unfortunately, her hushed words call the attention of the current Inu no Taisho for the first time, and one elegant eyebrow raises in the barest curiosity.

"You, girl," he says, his eyes fixing on her face. Inuyasha can hear it when she stops breathing. His heart seems to skip several beats."Little miko. This Sesshomaru feels your powerful aura. By your dress, you are trained. Why does a skilled human miko travel peacefully with a dishonorable hanyou? What are you to your protector?"

Kagome's heart is pounding fast, the beat quick in Inuyasha's sensitive ears. "I-I..." She can't seem to get out more than a stammer in the face of his golden glare.

"What does it matter to you?" Inuyasha answers for her, diverting attention from her to him once more, although truthfully he longs to know the answer to the query as well, only inverted. _What is your protector to you, Kagome?_ "You ain't gonna lay a hand on her, that's for sure!"

"Hn. It matters not. My goal will be achieved, with or without this knowledge." Sesshomaru appears to be speaking to himself. He seems to consider something. "You have something, hanyou, something that doesn't belong to you. And you will return it to its rightful owner."

"I got no idea what you're talking about!" Inuyasha is confused and wary.

"Surely you do. Unless-" and suddenly the imposing tai-youkai is less than two feet away, staring at him hard. He moves as a striking snake, and it takes all Inuyasha's willpower to stand his ground as his eyes are searched by another, strikingly similar pair. "-unless, it was done without your knowledge...?"

"Quit talking in riddles and spit out whatever you're gonna say!"

Sesshomaru gives a dark, brief laugh, and returns to his earlier position once more. "The sword of legend, forged from our father's fang, that could slay one hundred youkai in one stroke. The Tetsusaiga, hidden from all who seek it in his tomb."

"The... Tetsusaiga...? Father's tomb? What the-?" He growls, irritated. "What does any of this crap have to do with me?"

"Why are you after a sword, when you already have one?" Kagome's voice is so soft, the two opposing brothers nearly miss it. She seems to shrink back after the words have left her mouth, but leave them hanging in the air, her brown eyes on the sword at Sesshomaru's left hip. Inuyasha is impressed for a moment at her bravery. Most humans would cower in fear, miko or not. _But then again, Kagome has never been a typical human_. He also notes that her bow is still drawn.

Sesshomaru snorts derisively. "Ignorance. The sword Tenseiga is useless to this Sesshomaru, little miko. It is an insult to the elder and superior of two sons, and possesses no destructive power." His expression intensifies. "However, no sword is needed to defeat the likes of you, _hanyou_. Never forget that."

"Keh! Forget your terrible attitude, if you want the sword so freakin' bad then just go get it! What d'you need _me_ for? I got no idea where the stupid thing is! Go find the tomb on your own, and leave me and Kagome the _hell_ alone!"

"This Sesshomaru grows weary of humoring the foolish questions of a hanyou. Unfortunately, you are a necessary means to an end." The dark _youki_ energy around Sesshomaru grows even darker, and he settles into a crouch. "I have already found the tomb,_ Inuyasha_."

And with that, he finally lunges.

~/~/~

Inuyasha watches his half-brother rush at him as if he is a spectator on the sidelines, rather than a competitor in the struggle. His golden eyes widen a fraction before time speeds back up, and Sesshomaru is upon him. He barely manages to dodge out of the way, and even then the deadly claws coming at his face miss him by centimeters.

Sesshomaru moves with grace and ease in his speed, and Inuyasha can tell that he is somewhat toying with him. But he doesn't have a choice but to stay on the defensive, because with his relative inexperience in hand to hand combat like this, there's no way Inuyasha can hold his own. Their struggle continues for less than a minute before Sesshomaru gains the advantage, and has him pinned by the throat to a tree with his left hand, his claws embedded in the bark on either side of his neck, holding him captive.

He shows no emotion, his cold, heartless eyes like river stones shot through with gold. However, just for a moment, Inuyasha thinks he sees something in his face. Something like a smirk, that says _I am the most awesome youkai alive._ Oh yes, he is definitely smirking now.

_Screw you, Sesshomaru. _

He raises his right hand to strike, and time moves sluggishly again for the hanyou as he watches pain coming with merciless force. He braces himself for the hit that's surely coming to his jaw.

Unexpectedly, he next feels the razor-sharp claws at his right eye.

It's like his eye is lit on fire, as if Sesshomaru is trying to gouge it out of its socket. The conscious world is reduced to a blur of black, red, and white-hot searing _pain. _He can't even seem to form a coherent curse. The only thing running through his overwhelmed mind is a wordless, soundless scream. His mouth opens, and he lets loose a strangled, agonized yell. Somewhere in the hazy world beyond his own personal hell, he can hear someone crying his name.

And then it's over, and Sesshomaru's hand is no longer forcing his neck to the tree trunk. Inuyasha doesn't so much kneel as fall, his head still exploding in pain. Footsteps pound on the grass, and then he is drawn into a shaking, familiar embrace. He breathes shallowly, focusing on the arms around him and trying not to lose consciousness. Vaguely he can hear the person's desperate, angry shouts, and his _youki_ reacts weakly to the sudden swell of spiritual power. After an interminable amount of time, during which the sun could have exploded and he wouldn't have known or cared, he is able to finally raise his head and open his eyes. His hand probes the stressed area, and he's mildly surprised to see it come away with no blood. Kagome's brown gaze meeting his is the first thing he sees, and he realizes that it's her arms that have been around him this whole time.

As the pain slowly begins to recede, he shrugs her off and stands. There will be time to talk later, and he only hopes she can see his gratitude in his eyes. Now, he has to stand, has to show his jerk of a half-brother that he's not down for the count, that he's not beaten.

But Sesshomaru isn't even looking at him. Instead, he's holding a small, round, dark something in-between his forefinger and thumb, scrutinizing it. It takes a moment with his befuddled mind for Inuyasha to realize that this must be the object he had been after... the object that must have come out of his still-watering eye.

Only then does his older sibling turn to face him, with a satisfied smirk. "So it was here, all this time. The tomb of the former Inu no Taisho, ensconced inside a black pearl. Father hid it well. 'Seeing yet never seen', indeed," he quotes mysteriously.

Then, casting the black pearl on the ground, Sesshomaru cuts his eyes to the side, to where a small green imp has just scurried out of the forest. He carries a long, wooden staff, with two intertwined heads at the top. "Jaken," the tai-youkai says softly, irately, holding out a hand.

"Coming, milord!" the imp squeaks in a voice so irritating Inuyasha wonders if he's doing it on purpose. The creature gives the staff to Sesshomaru, who then proceeds to slam the business end down upon the small pearl lying in the grass. Immediately, one head on the staff begins to laugh, and the imp starts to make a scene. "The tomb will open!" he exclaims, excitedly hopping about. His frantic movements are halted by a sharp knock on the head by the fist of his lord.

"Quiet, Jaken," Sesshomaru snaps, and then all in the clearing watch with mixed reactions as a large, swirling vacuum ripples open out of thin air, above the small gem. Within moments, Sesshomaru and his imp have stepped inside the rip in the air and are gone.

Inuyasha looks at Kagome who stands beside him, and they exchange a significant glace. They're in this together, and no way in heaven or hell is Sesshomaru getting his hands on something his father obviously meant to keep secret for his youngest son alone. She proffers her hand, and he grasps it. Together they run for the deep black hole, jumping through as they jumped through the well all those years ago. Instead of the blue lights of the old well, however, maroon stars envelop the pair in their travel through the passageway.

Inuyasha just keeps grasping her hand, and wondering how on earth he would make it in this world alone.

~/~/~

The pair exit the swirling vacuum after a few brief moments, to find themselves falling through the air down towards a rocky landscape below. Inuyasha pulls Kagome close by her hand and tucks her against his side, thinking quickly for a plan that won't end with them going splat on the ground. In the end, he doesn't have to; an odd, skeletal sort of flying creature swoops in below them, breaking their fall (albeit rather roughly) and carrying them towards an enormous, armor-laden skeleton.

_Father, _Inuyasha thinks, with a tinge of sadness. It comes more from a wish for what could have been than any real grief. After all, he hardly even met the inu-youkai who sired him. His only memories are locked deep down in his earliest instincts, when _Alpha _meant _Father _and not _Elder Brother._

"Is that... your father?" Kagome asks him, her brown eyes wide with incredulity. Her voice is loud over the wind noise, her tied-back hair whipping around in the breeze. When he nods in response, she gasps. "But the bones are so huge!"

"Keh. He was the Inu no Taisho- what'd you expect, a puppy skeleton?"

She shrugs and turns her eyes to the front once more, as their skeletal mount swoops down low toward the body of his father, entering the giant, gaping maw. The light from the sunny sky outside slowly dims as they fly into the mouth and swoop down the large, cavernous throat.

After a certain distance down, Inuyasha is able to catch Sesshomaru's scent. _Down in the belly of the beast, _he thinks with some amount of humor. It's not long before he is able to catch sight of white flowing hair, and realizes that Sesshomaru is standing before a large golden table, in which a long, slender object is embedded.

"Hang on," he tells Kagome, and grabs her by the waist again. Then, when the creature has descended a few hundred more feet, he decides to jump for it. His bare feet land on the skulls of unidentified creatures with a loud cracking sound, just behind the white form of his half-brother. He tenses for the reaction; however, to his surprise, Sesshomaru doesn't so much as turn around, though he has to know he's there. His imp is a different story.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" the green creature squeals. "It's Inuyasha! Inuyasha has come to steal Tetsu-" his voice is cut off once more by a black boot to the head. 'Lord Sesshomaru' doesn't even bother to spare a glance in anyone's direction.

"Quiet, Jaken."

Inuyasha quickly discovers that the object of Sesshomaru's contemplation is a rusty, antique old sword, stuck tip-first into the golden oval. It doesn't even look like it can cut paper, let alone strike down hundreds of demons! _Can this really be Tetsusaiga?_

After a moment more of staring at the weapon, if the useless-looking old katana can really be called a weapon, the tai-youkai reaches out a hand to grasp the hilt. Kagome gasps as crackling lightning immediately arises from the object, engulfing the appendage that has dared to make contact. Instantly Sesshomaru pulls his hand back, gazing at it as it smolders with blue flames for a moment before dying down, leaving no mark.

Inuyasha is shocked, but that doesn't stop a smirk from spreading over his face. "So, even the perfect _elder brother _can't manage to even touch Father's sword! Keh!" _Bet you can't stand that, _Inuyasha thinks with satisfaction.

At first, Sesshomaru shows no reaction to the taunting. However, after a moment, he turns around, and against his will Inuyasha's blood seems to stop moving in his veins for a moment at the look of disdain and hatred in his brother's eyes. And at his next words, his heart stops beating altogether.

"You will die today."

The gaze in the elder's eyes is hard and unforgiving.

All Inuyasha can think about are his original misgivings, his earlier musings on fighting Sesshomaru. And the end they all came to. For a moment, he can't help but agree with his opponent. If they fight, he will surely die.

And then he thinks again, about the consequences of that outcome, and his resolve hardens. Sesshomaru deserves to pay for his and Mother's suffering, and he's not going to put up with his crap anymore. He _refuses. _Stealing his inheritance, his last memory of Father, is one thing. But he can't forgive his past transgressions without some retribution, darn it, not when Mother's involved!

_Just because the jerk got all the luck don't give him the right to parade around like he owns the freakin' world! Keh. I know I'm risking Kagome... but courage's gotta cost something. She'll understand that... Right? Plus, that bow's gotta count for something._

Inuyasha's smile solidifies. "Feh. That's what you think." He has to beat him. Somehow, he vows, he will. He settles into a crouch. "Well? Come and get me if you think you're so unbeatable! What're you, _scared?_"

Inuyasha can never quite bring himself to regret that last barb, even though he probably should. Because it sends Sesshomaru speeding toward him with a supercilious smirk. But he also has the satisfaction of knowing he got under the stoic youkai's skin, if only for a brief second.

Then Sesshomaru is on top of him, and he has to think fast if he's going to spend the next five seconds with his head connected to his body.

The next minutes are a whirl of motion, disconnected thoughts, and close calls. He's dodging and slashing with his claws with everything he's ever learned over the years, and quite a bit that he hasn't, his instincts prevailing where his conscious mind doesn't. It's enough to keep him alive- just enough. But Sesshomaru is a tai-youkai with centuries of more experience than him, and Inuyasha has the sickening feeling that the guy hasn't even come close to his limit yet.

He catches glimpses of the world outside the circle of their furious claws, little snatches of sound and image that barely register in the back of his mind. Kagome's white face as she backs up to behind the round gold table, where the pile of skulls make a higher mound. The eerie silence, besides the noise of their fight, that blankets the room. The sword, Tetsusaiga, rusty and yet still managing to gleam slightly in the dim light inside the remains of his father.

At last, a respite comes when Sesshomaru unexpectedly leaps away. Panting for breath, Inuyasha appreciates the break in the action, not questioning it; at least until he sees what's coming next for him.

_As if that jerk needed another advantage! h_e thinks desperately, staring at Sesshomaru holding a whip of deadly energy in his hand. _Crap! _He swears he can see the sadism in the elder's eyes as he begins to advance towards him. His muscles ache in sympathy with the throbbing of his heart.

And then, so suddenly that neither sibling can anticipate it, an arrow flaming pink is shooting towards Sesshomaru. He manages to leap out of the way, but only just, and it causes him to lose his single-minded focus on Inuyasha.

Inuyasha isn't sure whether to curse Kagome or thank her. She's standing, fifty yards away, her bow still aimed at the inu-youkai, another arrow ready to fly. Her eyes are determined, her stance steady though he can scent traces of her fear in the air. Surprisingly, he can see tear tracks still glistening on her face.

_She... she cried? For me?_

_Why?_

He barely has time to process everything. He's still not used to Kagome defending herself, or fighting for him. After all, isn't he supposed to be the one protecting her? She's not supposed to mess everything up and shoot at the enemy!

_But then, what was the point of all her training...?_

Inuyasha really, really wishes that annoying voice in his head would shut up once in a while.

_You only hate me because I'm right, you know. _

Can one hear a smirk?

_Keh. Leave me alone._

Sesshomaru gives a low laugh, startling him out of his contemplative stupor. "Careful, little miko. This Sesshomaru is not to be trifled with."

"Neither am I! Leave us alone, and the sword, or I'll- I'll shoot!" Inuyasha doesn't know if he's ever seen her this angry.

"Oh, will you?" And all the humor fades out of Sesshomaru's countenance. "Then you will die as well."

Inuyasha's eyes widen. _Oh no. No he didn't. He did NOT just... Kagome, if you shoot that arrow-!_

But before his thought can even finish, another streak of purifying energy is already trailing behind an arrow, headed straight for his half-brother's heart.

"NO, Kagome!" He can't help the cry that comes from his throat. But it's all much, much too late.

Inuyasha watches it all in slow motion. Dodging her second missile with no more difficulty than her first, the tai-youkai snarls, deep and low. Then, he crouches, ready for the spring.

The hanyou's blood is pumping, full of adrenaline. He'll never reach his target in time to save her, and he knows it. The gleam of gold, just to his right, catches his eye, and inspiration strikes.

_Kagome... why couldn't you just stay quiet and let me protect you? If you die..._

_If you die..._

And it is with this one, terrible thought in mind that he pushes off the ground with more speed than he's ever used in his life, headed straight for the prize they've been warring over all this time. It pulses in time with his heartbeat, drawing him in. Practically begging him to use it to save her.

Tetsusaiga.

_~/~/~_

Sesshomaru, to say the least, is confident.

Being Inu-no-Taisho of all the Western Lands, an undefeated warrior with a purebred bloodline, tends to have that effect on a person. And hey, he's no less susceptible to the effects of pride than the next powerful tai-youkai.

Although the adolescent half-breed has caused more trouble than originally planned, and the miko girl was definitely a surprise, otherwise, things have been going smoothly. Locating them was simple enough, and the tomb was exactly where that irksome flea had told him.

And yet, the sense of foreboding that has been plaguing him ever since he located the supposed "tomb guard" and forced the information out of him still remains, deep within the confines of his intuition. Something is wrong.

However, it doesn't seem worth worrying about. Sesshomaru bothers with the tangible, the things that he can and needs to control. His attention would be wasted on something so insubstantial as a _feeling. _He regards it with almost the same derision as an _emotion._ Worthy of lesser youkai and humans, such things may be. But a great youkai of his status? Why should he trouble himself?

Scents and sounds, those instincts have their uses. But intangible "sixth senses", in his not-so-humble opinion, are beneath him. When something becomes an annoyance, a hindrance, it is obliterated. Removed. And so he banishes the feeling from his mind, the so-called "sense" that in the end would only prove a distraction, he is sure.

Just like he's going to remove the irritation that is this foolhardy human girl. She should know better than to challenge the great Sesshomaru-sama.

And so he is taken completely by surprise when, just as he is about to leap for the girl who stands not so many yards away, he is forced back. By a large, demonic blade that bears a strong resemblance to a fang.

_It can't be._

And yet it is. The powerful sword of legend, formed from the fang of his father, which he has sought all this time and yet could not even touch. Transformed from a rusty antique to an enormous, deadly weapon, it blocks his path to the miko. The very human miko.

And grasping its hilt is a very demonic-looking hanyou.

Sesshomaru's eyes widen a fraction at this development. Before Tetsusaiga can skewer him through the heart, as his half-brother's eyes are promising it's about to, he leaps back, out of the danger zone. Out of the corner of his eye, he barely notes Jaken's mouth dropping to the bone-covered ground, as well as his eyes bugging out of his head.

_How is this possible? I, the great Sesshomaru, was unable to even touch the sword... and yet this lowly half-breed can?_

Inuyasha's eyes have taken on a furious, reddish hue, and growls rip out of his throat as if with his anger alone, he could decapitate his opponent. He grips Tetsusaiga with both hands, held defensively in front of his body, the girl standing behind him. She is also in awe.

"Inuyasha...?" she says incredulously, her voice the only sound in a cavern where the silence is so sudden and complete that one could hear a hair split in two.

Sesshomaru maintains his calm, controlled exterior, even as his mind whirls inside. He thinks back to his encounter with the old flea-youkai not one week prior, searching thoroughly for something that might explain this amazing phenomena.

_Sesshomaru holds the tiny youkai between the sharp claws of his index finger and thumb. His glaring yellow gaze alone is enough to make the small flea tremble in fear, let alone the razor-like digits holding him captive. _

"_Myouga. You will not disobey me."_

"_P-please, Sesshomaru-sama! I mean n-no disrespect, but-"_

"_But nothing, flea. You, my estimable father's servant and guard of his tomb, will tell this Sesshomaru where the Tetsusaiga is. Or you will die."_

_The small, round insect gulps nervously. "All right, all right! T-The sword of legend is hidden in the... the tomb of the late Inu-no-Taisho, i-inside a black pearl."_

"_Where is this black pearl located?"_

"_T-the only information known about its location i-is a rather odd riddle, told to me by the Lady Izayoi long ago..." Myouga pauses, only to have the pressure on his body increase and an aristocratic eyebrow raised. "Ahem, yes! She said, 'He has hidden the tomb where no one will ever find it... Seeing, yet never seen; protected, yet never known to its protector.'"_

_A dissatisfied growl rumbles from Sesshomaru's chest. "And is there no other knowledge of its whereabouts?"_

"_Well, um, no..."_

"_You lie." And the old flea nearly pops with the force of Sesshomaru's grip. _

"_I-I apologize deeply, Sesshomaru-sama," he manages to choke out. "T-the only other clue given to me w-was that it had something to do with your brother, Lord I-Inuyasha! F-forgive me, I beg you, and spare this flea's life!"_

_In disgust at the creature's groveling, Sesshomaru releases him and lets him float to the ground. He turns to walk away, but a small, tentative voice calling him back halts him._

"_Wait, Sesshomaru-sama! I entreat you, do not attempt to take possession of the phantom sword Tetsusaiga! It was left for your half-brother Inuyasha alone, forged originally to protect his human mother, the Lady Izayoi! I know not what the consequences will be if you attempt to steal your brother's inheritance!"_

At the time, Sesshomaru had disregarded Myouga's words, thinking them nothing more than the weak, useless final attempt of a cowardly flea to protect the great Tetsusaiga. But now... now, his unshakable confidence begins to waver, just enough for him to look upon the current scene with more thought.

"_...forged originally to protect his human mother, the Lady Izayoi!"_

Inuyasha is seething mad. It is as if Sesshomaru has kicked a hornet's nest once too often... the straw that broke the donkey's back. It looks as if the only thing keeping the furious half-demon standing still is his unwillingness to leave the miko vulnerable.

_He doesn't wish her to be unprotected... That human girl, he really cares for her safety. Tetsusaiga, is this why you have transformed for the lowly hanyou? Could Father and Myouga... actually have been right?_

The thought is so foreign, so against his nature, that it takes a full second to sink fully into his brain. Once it does, however, he straightens up, staring at the two people before him with new eyes, although his expression barely changes in the slightest. He's had centuries of practice to perfect his stony mask, and this one, albeit astonishing, epiphany is not going to crack it so easily.

His gaze focuses in on the face of the young miko, and his thoughts drift back almost a full century, to the day Father had brought his new human princess home to the Western castle. He had been so fierce, so short, with all the youkai foolish enough to gape and whisper about her. Even Sesshomaru's own mother, resentful to the point of pain, had seen no mercy from the Inu-no-Taisho then. It seemed his father had brought back a treasure he'd borrowed from heaven, and had cast everyone around him in the role of avenging angel, come to spite him and steal it back.

Though the woman had not stayed long, her impact on the court had been obvious and angering to an adolescent Sesshomaru. For a long while, he was furious with his sire. Inu-youkai mate for life, and he had gone back on all his promises and vows to his lady mother. He remembered wondering how on earth one weak, insignificant human woman could have had such an effect on the great ruler of the West.

As he looks upon his hanyou brother, ready to tear him to shreds over the miko he protects, his face blurs. Instead, he sees his father walking before the princess Izayoi through the halls of the Western stronghold, growling at all the gossips and slanderers, keeping her close behind. Protecting her.

Upon blinking, Sesshomaru's vision returns to normal, and he sees the faces of the half-breed and the priestess once more. Inuyasha now looks confused and wary over his altered posture. His entire reverie has taken perhaps twenty seconds or less. In his mind, it had seemed much longer.

"What gives, Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha snarls, sneering. "Scared you're gonna lose, now that I've got your precious sword?"

Sesshomaru nearly snorts at that. Nearly. He is not so easily provoked. "Hn. Keep your 'precious sword'. I have no use for it any longer. Not since it has touched and transformed for the hands of a filthy hanyou such as yourself." He is only partly lying; the thought of using a sword used to protect the life of powerless humans is unappealing to him.

Inuyasha's eyes widen in surprise, and he slowly straightens up as well. "You're kidding me, right? After all that crap we just went through five minutes ago, now you don't even _want_ the freakin' sword? You _gotta_ be joking!"

By way of response, Sesshomaru turns away in silence, beginning to walk away. The sword is no longer his object, and he has better things to do with his time than standing here, arguing pointlessly with his rash younger sibling.

A sudden, powerful pulse halts him in his tracks. He turns around abruptly, ignoring the seething hanyou and focusing in on the raven-haired girl. She appears afraid at his unexpected gaze, and yet her chin jerks up in indignation.

"What do you want of me, Sesshomaru?" she asks, and he is slightly impressed by the lack of trembling in her voice.

Disregarding his half-brother's violent reaction to her words, Sesshomaru continues to study her, until he feels it again.

A strong pulsing, coming from within her. Inhaling sharply, he resists the urge to stumble back at the immense surge of power and purity, and yet corruption as well.

_Only one object could ever possess such an aura._

His amber gaze intensifies, and he levels his glare at her.

"Miko. Why do you bear the Shikon no Tama?"

And her shock at his words is written in red ink all over her face.

"_What?"_

~/~/~

* * *

><p>Author's Note: And here we have the introduction of what I like to think of as the last stretch of plot here. (: A fourteen-pager, guys, how 'bout that? And a special guest appearance, as well! ^_^ (I've been waiting for ages to introduce Sess... Love him to death. Anyone get my pen name now? XD)<p>

And now... I AM SO SO SO SO SO INCREDIBLY SORRY. Really I am. I thought this was gonna get up three weeks ago. And, well... go read my profile if you're interested at all. It explains everything. =/

I apologize for Inuyasha's potty mouth. I had a long internal debate with myself over it and decided it was best to keep him IC... but you'll notice his favorite nickname for Sesshomaru is conspicuously absent. =] Sorry guys.

And another note- I run out of synonyms for people a lot, and so I'll frequently use the English and Japanese versions of a noun to help the variability. (Ex. miko v. priestess) I don't really discriminate lol.

I really, really hope you enjoyed, because I worked my butt off to get this finished! Can't wait for the next few chapters... InuKag galore. Oh yes. Here's where that romance genre comes in. X) And if you're out of InuKag fics to read, go read Calamitous by Elantina. It took her months to get this three-shot up but MAN was it worth the wait!

(A very belated) Happy New Year to you! If you'd review it would make my night, it really would. (: Makes me believe the last three weeks of slogging through this was worth it, haha.

-Lady E


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

Author's Note: Another three week gap, unfortunately... but here I am, once again. (: You can blame the Super Bowl for this being two days later than I had planned on Friday.

I hope you've got a lot of time, cause this one's really, really long. Like, really. Go easy on me, guys, I struggled with this for a long time, and I'll probably end up editing it a lot later. But for now, I hope you enjoy.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Ten<strong>

At Sesshomaru's words, Kagome's breath catches in her throat, and her heart begins to race wildly.

"_What?" _The exclamation leaves her mouth with a rush of air as all the oxygen in her lungs is expelled. Her wide brown eyes characterize her shock and confusion. In her mind, she imagines she must look very silly and comical- her jaw feels like it's about to hit the floor, after all, and her eyes are bugging out of her head.

It's just so far beyond her capacity to believe that such a thing could possibly be true. Outside of a dream, that is.

_More like a nightmare, _she thinks with grim humor, finally regaining control over her expression and firmly shutting her open mouth. Memories race through her mind, that first meeting with Sayuri-sama in the forefront of her mind, clear as if it had been yesterday. Standing in her hut, meeting the miko's quick, intelligent gaze, listening as she explained of the legend of Midoriko.

"_Many generations ago, a powerful miko called Midoriko unintentionally created the Sacred Jewel, the Shikon no Tama, as she battled with many youkai. Her soul, combined with the other demons she fought, are trapped within this jewel, always engaged in a never-ceasing battle for all eternity, so long as the gem exists. The jewel of four souls, as it is also and accurately known, possesses great powers, and whether they are used for good or evil completely depends on its bearer. It is rumored to grant the holder any wish they so desire, and for this reason, many humans and youkai alike lust after its power._

"_However, the jewel disappeared many, many years ago, and it is only by truth of legend that the miko of this generation know of it. Hardly common knowledge. It is disturbing to me that this youkai spoke of it, and I can think of no explanation as to why she thought you had it in your possession."_

Sesshomaru studies her, wary, as she tries her best not to look nervous under his hard gaze. "What do you mean, _I bear the Shikon no Tama_? I've never seen the thing in my life! It's just part of a legend- it disappeared centuries ago!"

His eyes could bore through steel. "Do not lie to this Sesshomaru, miko. Surely you of all who stand here can sense it. Why do you insist on denying the truth, now that your deception is realized?"

Despite herself, Kagome can feel her temper growing short. "I told you, _I don't have the Shikon no Tama. _I would know if I did... right?" her voice draws up uncertainly at the end, and she glances to Inuyasha. "Right?"

He's staring at her with concerned golden eyes. "Kagome... I hate to admit it, and I have no idea why, but... there's definitely _something, _something pure... and it feels powerful."

Her eyebrows furrowing, Kagome opens her mouth, ready to deny the brothers' allegations a third time. Then, she feels it, and the sensation causes her exasperated contradictions to die on their journey out of her throat.

A strong pulsing, louder and more powerful than the beat of her own heart, has made itself known in her torso. She can feel it, and her fingers reach up to touch just below the base of her ribcage in wonder. The feeling is odd, yet familiar. It's the sensation of her miko powers, rising in her core, multiplied a hundredfold. The pure, untainted energy makes her feel light-headed, and she sways a little on her feet as both hands rise to press against her left side. Inuyasha is instantly behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder, steadying her. She is quietly grateful for his support in the back of her mind- the rest of her brain is busy turning cartwheels, trying to make pieces fit together, when no matter how she turns the events of her life around and around, nothing makes sense.

If she really probes hard with her fingers, Kagome imagines she can feel a hardness there, just under her lowest rib. Her eyes search Sesshomaru's expressionless features in wonderment. She's having trouble finding her voice. It seems to be lost in the same place as her control over her facial muscles.

"How... what... huh?"

She thinks she sees a flicker of something in his wintry eyes- amusement, perhaps?- before they harden further. "It seems that not only the hanyou has been caught in ignorance this night."

"The... the Shikon no Tama?" she gasps, and realizes that the only thing keeping her standing is Inuyasha's solid grip on her shoulder when she stumbles back a little, nearly falling to the ground. She can't take it in. "I-It's in my body? How? And _why_? Why have I never felt it before today? It must have been there for... for _decades!_"

She thinks back, all the way to her very earliest, fuzziest memories. Though she recalls all the way back to as a small child, before the fire, even, she can't remember anything, _anything,_ about a jewel, or even a procedure, perhaps, that could explain this phenomenon.

"This Sesshomaru knows not, little miko," the grave youkai is intoning even as her mind whirls. "Curious that the... object, did not seem active before."

"Mmhm," Kagome nods faintly. _But why?_

With that, Sesshomaru turns to take his leave once more.

"Hey! Aren't you gonna try and get the jewel, now that you know it's there?" shouts Inuyasha at his retreating back. All Kagome can do is stare at him incredulously, questioning his intelligence.

"You idiot! Just let him go!" she whispers, disbelieving her own ears.

The tai-youkai stops, barely deigning to turn his head to answer his half-brother. "This Sesshomaru has no need of outside powers to retain power and control over the Western Lands." And he leaps off the ground with unearthly grace, taking to the air with finesse. Soon he has ascended to the top of the throat of the great corpse and is out of sight.

Kagome turns to face Inuyasha, her right palm still covering the hiding place of the sacred jewel, though it has ceased to pulse now and is as dormant as ever. Her face is white, and she is shaking with a belated rush of adrenaline. Her head seems disconnected from the rest of her, and her feet trip her into his arms without her consent.

"Inuyasha," she mumbles, burying her face into his shoulder, trying to block out the world for just a moment and calm her racing mind and heart. "Let's go home."

His form of assent is turning so that she can shift to his back, and then leaping up to scale the walls made of bone. She can feel herself drifting into unconsciousness, leaning into the feeling of security and wrapping her arms loosely about his neck.

Before she temporarily loses touch with reality, she vaguely wonders where she meant by home, exactly. Because right here seems pretty accurate to her.

~/~/~

When she wakes, they've somehow managed to return to the world beyond the graveyard; the sky is grey instead of blue, and a tired moon is fading in the growing light. Kagome stares at it for a while in the disorientation of waking up, hazily wondering why she can see Inuyasha's face above her. He looks like he's sleeping; his eyes are closed and he's breathing deep. It's a foreign sight to Kagome, who's unused to seeing her hanyou with his guard down these days. She's almost hypnotized by the sight of his relaxed features.

And then the pieces fall into place with a crash. She's lying on the ground, in a blanket, with her head in Inuyasha's lap, who is currently sleeping sitting up against a tree.

For a moment, she doesn't dare move. Her heart begins to beat at a ridiculously fast tempo, and her eyes are opened wide, her breath coming shallowly.

_We were sleeping... and I'm in Inuyasha's lap..._

_...how?_

After a moment, however, when she calms down enough to think, she realizes that she doesn't really want to get up. She feels calm and peaceful like this, and decides to just let him wake up on his own. Her brown orbs are trained on his face, her chest rising and falling in a smooth motion as she enjoys the moment. Rarely is her hanyou at peace nowadays. She thinks it's kind of nice to see him resting.

Of course, it's also kind of funny when he wakes up.

Soon, his ears begin to twitch, first the left, and then the right. His breathing speeds up as he begins to rouse himself, Kagome a watching quiet mouse. His mouth opens in a yawn, eyes still closed, and stretches his arms above his head. When they come down again, one of his hands hits her head ligthly. His golden eyes flash open, and he notices right away the position they're in. He freezes, his deer-in-the-headlights expression meeting her serene gaze. She just smiles.

"Good morning, Inuyasha."

"K-k-keh!" He scrambles up off the ground, forcing her to sit up rather abruptly. She scowls up at him.

"Hey! You took my pillow, you know! I was all settled!" she pouts, rolling her eyes at his anxious stance. Honestly.

Grumbling about stupid wenches with a tinge of red in his face, Inuyasha ignores her and sets about packing up camp. Kagome quickly forgets her irritation, however, at the sight of a familiar, rusted katana leaning against the tree where he was just sitting. Standing up and stretching a little, she picks it up, running her fingers lightly over the flat side of the blade.

_Proof, that it wasn't all a dream._

"Tetsusaiga," she says, and Inuyasha pauses to walk over to her. She offers the hilt to him, and he takes it in his hands.

"Yeah," he answers her, even though it wasn't really a question. "That's really it. Hard to believe, huh?" He smirks, presumably remembering the moment when it had transformed and was pointing at Sesshomaru's heart.

"Yeah," she replies, thinking of the same moment. "Thanks," she adds on, as an afterthought. "Without you and that sword, I wouldn't be talking to you right now."

He busies himself with studying the damaged, nicked blade. "No problem," he mumbles. She just grins. Typical shy Inuyasha. She considers giving him another kiss on the cheek, just to see his reaction, but the memory of the last time is enough to give her butterflies and cause blood to rush to her cheeks. Her resolve shaken, she decides against it.

Instead, she teases, "So, you actually gonna learn how to use that thing?"

His eyes light up at the thought. "'Course I am! I'm gonna be unbeatable with Tetsusaiga as my sword." He straightens up as tall as his height allows, trying to be subtle, and broadens his shoulders ever so slightly. Kagome stifles a giggle. _Boys and their toys._

"Absolutely," she answers, the picture of sincerity. He gives her a sideways glance, suspicious.

"You don't believe me, do you?" he asks, and his ears are suddenly flattened to his head, his eyes downcast. Her light manner leaves in a heartbeat.

"...Inuyasha?"

"You know I'll master this sword, right?" he looks at her, serious, and for a moment her breath is taken away. "I have to learn to protect you, better, especially now that you have- that you have the jewel." Her face tightens with the reminder, her right hand making a slight involuntary motion towards her side. "And I will."

Kagome's eyes begin to sting. She quickly springs at him, before he can step back, and throws her arms around him. Her heart is just so full for this wonderful gift of a hanyou. "I believe you," she tells him in his ear, as he stands like a statue, surprised. "Of course I believe you."

Over the next several years, he proves his words true. As they wander through the forests of Japan, most of Inuyasha's spare moments are dedicated to practicing various attacks he picks up through fights with the youkai that cross their path. And he has plenty of practice- many, many monsters come after them now that the Shikon no Tama is awake, most if not all of them drawn by the irresistible pull of the Sacred Jewel that resides in her body.

Kagome often lies awake at night, fingers probing her side in curiosity, trying to feel the source of immense power that has somehow found its home within her. Despite hours of speculation on the subject, neither she nor Inuyasha are able to come up with any feasible explanation, and they soon give up trying. It's pointless, and an explanation won't help get rid of the youkai that plague them. So they continue on, fighting and gaining experience and strength.

Decades more pass away, and after a while, Kagome stops making note of the days. It just seems meaningless, now that she has accumulated so many of them. They pass like falling leaves from deciduous trees in the autumn, sometimes in clumps and sometimes one at a time, standing out with perfect clarity. Years seem as months now that she has lived so long, and months as mere weeks. Instead, she marks the passing time in snapshots of her life, significant and insignificant memories of the endless days of travel with her hanyou companion.

When she thinks back on this period of her life, a chain of significant circumstances comes to her mind, that will eventually lead to the most wonderful and terrible times she has ever experienced. The event that starts it all occurs just a few years after their confrontation with Sesshomaru, and gives her dear friend much aggravation.

They are traveling down a fairly well-trodden road in the forest, for once sticking to a main path. Because they lead a nomadic existence, the hanyou and miko are free to travel wherever they so choose. Currently, they are on a mission (inspired by Kagome, of course) to see the whole of Japan, shore to shore. After all, their objectives are attainable wherever they choose to reside- why not go sightseeing? she'd reasoned, and Inuyasha had been able to find no objections.

They are walking down the road, side by side. Kagome's right hand is mere centimeters from Inuyasha's left, and for the last half hour she's been trying to convince herself that it would be natural to reach out and close the gap between their fingers. Taking a deep breath, she's nearly won her internal battle, and her hand is ever so tentatively stretching out for his, when Inuyasha stops cold.

For a brief, irrational second, she thinks he's figured out her intentions and is going to berate her for them. But then she notices that his nose is scenting the air, and that the two adorable white puppy ears on the top of his head are twitching madly, rotating in search of some stray sound. As she watches, fighting her sudden, insane urge to reach up and rub them, as was her habit as a small girl, his nose wrinkles. His face twists up into a scowl that might grace someone's features when they've just smelled someone else's vomit, and his body tenses up.

"Inuyasha?" she asks, curious. "What-" The sense of an approaching youkai assaults her miko senses, halting her sentence in her mouth, and she whips around on the road, drawing her already strung bow with a practiced motion, a hand reaching for an arrow.

"I smell wolf," mutters Inuyasha, unsheathing Tetsusaiga. "This ain't no weak bug- we're about to have a real fight on our hands." His expression promises a world of pain to the approaching enemy if they dare even try to touch what's his. For a reason Kagome can't fathom, that look causes her heart to skip half a beat.

After much arguing and elevated tempers on her part and his, Kagome has come to realize something very important about Inuyasha- he doesn't like her having to protect herself. Although she's a very powerful miko and can usually hold her own without a problem, he gets stressed out and angry when she rushes into the thick of things or draws undue attention to herself. She's begun to see that, although she is perfectly capable of taking care of herself in most fights on her own, that in conflicts like this, it's much easier on her hanyou if she lets him take most of the responsibility for the offense. Her arrows have saved his butt enough times that her pride doesn't take too much of a blow with this arrangement, and it keeps Inuyasha happy, so she allows it. (1)

Positioning herself a few yards behind him, Kagome stares intently down the road from where they've just come. The waiting is always the worst part, in her opinion. Tetsusaiga has transformed for Inuyasha, and he holds it in a defensive position in front of his torso, his eyes following the same line of sight as Kagome's, searching for the threat. The sudden quiet is deafening, pressing in on her eardrums. Adrenaline is pumping through her veins with each pulse of her heart. She shifts her weight uneasily from right foot to left, fingers tightening around the wood of her bow.

She's not kept waiting for long.

A dust cloud emerges, far off down the path, but still evident, growing rapidly closer with each passing second. A low growl rips out from between Inuyasha's jaws, and his eyes narrow at the approaching youkai. Then, quite suddenly, a dip in the road obscures their view of the unnatural "tornado". She exchanges a glance with Inuyasha, questioning. Almost imperceptibly, he shrugs.

Then, everything is happening much too fast for her to make sense of it. The tornado is suddenly upon them, whizzing past Tetsusaiga's protective blade in the time it takes Kagome to blink. She catches a glimpse of a handsome, smirking face, an athletic form clad in leather and furs, and ice blue eyes that are fixed on her with single-minded determination as they draw closer. She doesn't have time to scream or loose an arrow before a strong arm has snatched her about the waist, causing her to drop her weapons.

Her panicked eyes meet Inuyasha's desperate ones, and then a flash of white pain envelops her field of vision before her world goes dark.

~/~/~

Kagome doesn't know how long she's been unconscious when she wakes up to an intense throbbing, both in her head and her side. She blinks open her eyes blearily, and realizes that she's staring at the ground as it rushes by backwards, her long black hair whipping free in the dust, obscuring her vision. Raising up her head, she feels the support of strong muscles holding her about the waist, keeping her secure, and her feet are dangling free. In passing, she notices that one of her sandals have slipped off and fallen.

The ache in her head rises to a furious climax with the strain of keeping her torso propped up, and overcome, she lets herself drop back to her original, upside-down position. Her face presses against leather momentarily, and below her she can see the tendrils of her hair brush the bare skin of her captor's lower back. Her brain feels like it's rattling around inside her skull with every stride that he takes.

It takes a moment for everything to sink in. Then, several things hit her at once. One, that _she has a captor_- she's been stolen away like a trophy in the hands of a thief! how _dare_ he!- two, that she can see no trace of Inuyasha following them, that this feels much faster than any pace she's ever gone with her friend; and three, that the pounding of her head is not the only thing that has woken her up.

In her current situation, she can't lift a hand to feel her side without alerting the unfriendly youkai that there's something amiss, especially as she has a sinking suspicion of his motive for taking her in the first place. However, she doesn't have to touch with her hands to feel the Jewel, pulsing against her skin, a reaction to the threat and predicament she now finds herself in. The absence of Inuyasha causes her blood to rush just a little bit faster through her veins, causes her mind to whirl and struggle to stay above the ocean of panic threatening to engulf it. She raises her head once more, briefly, searching with despairing eyes for his familiar form and long silver hair to come racing down the road after her, come to support her and help her out.

But he is nowhere in sight. She is on her own. For the first time in her life, Kagome is completely and utterly-

Her thought skids to a stop, a vision surfacing in the haziness of her memory. Losing her way in thick, choking, blinding smoke. Tearful refuge in a dark structure.

_Kagome takes deep, shuddering breaths, sliding down the shut door onto the floor, hugging her knees to her chest. Tears are sliding down her face, making muddy rivers in the dirt and smoke that cover her features. She closes her eyes, remembering her daddy's face in her dream, holding on to it with everything she has in her aloneness. The remembered sensations of safety, warmth, and love wrap around her frightened heart and mind and soothe the loneliness. She thinks she can still feel him holding her. _

_**Heaven is where we're together, Kagome.**_

_Several hundred fearful heartbeats later, Kagome calms down enough to open her eyes and stand on shaking legs. The well house is dim and shadowy. She cracks the door and peeks back out, filled with a frightened curiosity as to what is happening to her home. She also hopes she might see her mama, with Souta and Jii-chan, coming to safety. _

_She sees no one. Only angry flames, consuming, greedy, claiming what matters most to her in their orange, fiery jaws. The sight burns itself into her retinas. She is transfixed by horror. _

_She will never, ever forget this night._

No. Not the first time. She made it through then- she'll do it again today.

Kagome runs through her options in her mind. Pleading. Defiance. Violence. All have their merits, and their downfalls. In the end, however, her choice is none of these.

Instead, she maintains an attitude of steadfast silence, deciding to wait and see how things unfold. After all, she is never defenseless, not as a miko; and despite herself, she's curious about the where and the why of her abductor's motives. She takes comfort in the knowledge that, if she so wished, her assailant would be a pile of sparkly dust on the ground right now. She breathes deeply to calm herself as she settles into the drumming rhythm of bare feet on packed dirt, in harmony with the thrumming of her own heart.

_One-two, Three-four. One-two, Three-four._

_Tha-thump. Tha-thump. _

Kagome isn't sure how long they've been traveling before cliffs come into view on either side of her. The footsteps of the youkai slow their rapid fire rhythm, and eventually come to a halt. All this time, her captor has been silent, but now he lets out a low laugh. "That mutt ain't gonna find us now, no way," he mutters. _Can one hear a smirk? _she wonders.

Kagome braces herself as he grabs her with both hands by the waist to put her down. Just as he's about to drop her on her back, he notices her alert expression. Hard blue eyes meet her chocolate orbs as his eyebrows raise.

"Ah, so she's awake, huh?" he grins. His features are not altogether displeasing to the eye, she notes, just as she had thought at first glance- but there is a certain arrogance, some hardness there in his face, that causes her to immediately distrust his character.

She is not used to actually talking with the demons that she encounters- most of the higher level ones aren't interested in conversation, and the rest don't have the ability. She simply holds her head high after he sets her down on her feet, and steps back a step or two. Her expression gives nothing away.

"And now I get the silent treatment," the youkai mutters, rolling his eyes. "You're no fun at all. You could at least scream, put up some sort of a fight. Jeez, even the strong humans are complete weaklings."

Kagome's eyes are blazing. She can't help but take the bait. "I am no weakling, _beast. _I am a powerful miko who has purified youkai twice your strength into dust, and if I so chose you would be no different. Do not talk of_ weaklings_ to me."

He looks slightly taken aback at her angry words, but then his haughty smirk reappears. "So she speaks! The wench is fiery. Hello, fair Kagome. My name is Kouga, of the wolf demon tribe. I hate to bother a pretty miko like yourself, but you've got something I'm interested in." He begins to walk around her, in a manner Kagome can only describe as stalking. She suddenly feels insecure.

"See, I'm sick of the old geezers who run our tribes like the idiots they are," he continues, almost seeming to swagger in front of her. There is a predatory gleam in his eye as he looks her up and down. "I want to organize a rebellion, take out all the leaders and unite all the tribes under one alpha. And I've heard talk of a certain powerful Jewel that could make that vision very, very real."

Against her will, fear shoots through her heart. _Not again! Is there any way to get rid of all the trouble caused by the lure of this curse of a gemstone?_

"What makes you think that I possess such an object?" Kagome carefully responds. Her best choice right now is playing dumb until she finds out exactly how much this Kouga knows about the Shikon no Tama.

"Oh, don't be coy," he says, laughing. "All the youkai have heard about the so-called "Shikon miko" by now, sweet Kagome. Word travels fast when so many are being killed over such an irresistible artifact. Especially when such an _irresistible _woman has it." He grins, showing razor sharp fangs, and begins to draw nearer to her slowly. She resists the urge to back away.

"I know you have it, Kagome. And I know _exactly_ where it is." He's much to close for comfort now, and at his last words, he reaches out his hand and touches her left side through the fabric of her clothes, a hungry expression on his face. "It's pulsing, so loudly. It's calling to be used, asking for me to take its power. It would be such a shame to ignore it..."

Kagome begins to tremble slightly against her will. Never before has she felt so afraid, so vulnerable, before an enemy. She begins to summon her miko energy, to purify Kouga into that pile of sparkly pink dust she'd been envisioning earlier. However, he senses her dangerous powers, and a desperate look comes into his eyes. She has maybe a split second of warning before the space between them is nonexistent, and his mouth crashes down upon her own.

The action is so foreign, so unknown and unfamiliar, that Kagome is stunned into stillness. Her miko powers recede abruptly, as her mind goes blank- not with pleasure, but complete and utter shock. She's never been kissed before, not by a man. And now, the moment she's wondered about in the back of her mind for ages is ruined, marred forever by a selfish male who only seeks power and survival for himself.

It goes on for far too long, Kagome standing stock still, unsure of what to do next, reeling. Kouga seems to be trying to get her mouth to open, attempting to slip his tongue in past her tightly shut lips. (Why, she can't imagine.) She just keeps them closed, her eyes shut tight, trying to block out the unwanted action.

The forced kiss is broken by a furious, feral growl that rips through the previously silent air. Pulling back abruptly, Kouga releases Kagome and crouches down, responding to the new threat. Kagome can only stumble back, her mind spinning, eyes gazing at a positively livid red-clad hanyou.

"_Get- your- filthy- hands- OFF OF HER." _His eyes are flashing red, angry snarls tearing their way out of his throat that send fear shooting through Kagome's every limb, even though she knows he'd never hurt her. She has never seen him this mad. Ever.

In his left hand, he holds a single sandal. It drops to the ground, forgotten, as he springs.

~/~/~

Watching Kouga run off with his long, wolfish tail quite literally between his legs, Kagome can't help but giggle, in spite of everything. Inuyasha, his eyes their normal gold once more and his temper back under control, looks at her like she's crazy.

"Keh, what the heck are you laughing for, Kagome?" he asks her, shaking his head. "Who knows what that mangy wolf woulda done? And then I kick his sorry butt and send him hightailing it, and you won't even let me_ kill _the asshole_- Kagome, what in Kami-sama's name is so funny?_"

"Inu- Inuya-" she can't even get his name out, her hysteria has escalated so much. He gives her a worried look, completely dumbfounded, that only serves to crack her up more. She's not exactly sure why the whole situation suddenly strikes her as being so unbearably hilarious, but whatever the reason, she can't stop the mirth that bubbles out of her with a relieving sort of sensation.

"I'm- I'm sorry, Inuya-asha," she finally answers, when she's able to breathe. "I guess, just the- the sight of him, run-ning off with- with his tail- be- between-" She breaks down into more laughter before her sentence is done. Shaking his head, Inuyasha just impatiently waits for her little episode to finish.

"Well, at least I'm not crying," Kagome says at last, giggling a little with the aftereffects of her laughing fit. "Always better to laugh, right?"

And it does feel as if her bout of uncontrollable laughter has lifted her heart a little, taken away the trauma of having her first kiss stolen in such a callous manner and removed the fear that always comes with each attempt of theft of the Shikon. She smiles at Inuyasha, and reluctantly, the exasperation leaves his eyes, and he eventually grins at her, too. Then, she holds out her hand palm up, expectantly.

"What?" he asks, confused.

"My shoe? If you don't mind?"

"Oh, that." He hesitates a moment, then reaches down to pick it up from the ground. But instead of placing it in her hand, he grabs her by her outstretched arm, smirking, and swings her up onto his back in approximately the space of time it takes her to blink. He hands her one of their bags and her bow, then secures her by putting his hands behind her knees.

Kagome can feel her face burning up. "Um, Inuyasha..."

"What? You got a problem?"

"...No," she finds herself replying, and rests her chin on his shoulder with a secret smile.

Riding on Inuyasha's back is not a new event for the miko, but one she hasn't experienced in many years. When they were younger, they would travel like this all the time, but as both grew up, it stopped seeming... appropriate.

_So much for that now, _Kagome thinks dryly, enjoying the feel of the wind in her hair as Inuyasha leaps through the forest at a breakneck pace. Unlike her earlier "ride" with Kouga, this time she can relax and savor the speed. Her thoughts begin to wander, back to the events of the past years, to a time before the jewel- a time before that night when reality slapped her in the face with its ice-cold palm. That night, when her innocence was exchanged for a grim responsibility.

The hardened, icy features of Sesshomaru return to her memory, and she finds herself remembering how it felt to point her arrow at him, the fear she felt as he rushed at her, at not being able to stop him... those terrible, cold eyes, unmerciful, unforgiving... that thin, dark purple crescent moon that marked his forehead like a brand...

Kagome's mind freezes.

_Crescent moon... waning moon... was, last night... tonight, tonight is the night of the new moon!_

She looks up at the sky in horror, seeing the sun already begin to tilt to the west; the landscape around them is all forest, no civilization, no people in sight. Just the seemingly endless stand of trees, that will become a haven of youkai predators in the dark night... that will be drawn by the jewel.

And, Kagome knows, tonight there will be no protector for her. Tonight, she will have to hold her own. And that frightens her, more than it should. She and Inuyasha, they're a team- they work together. Not alone.

_The night of the new moon truly is a curse._

Her fingers tug desperately on the fabric of his red haori. "Inuyasha," she says, her voice despairing in his ear. "Inuyasha, do you remember what tonight will be?"

"Should I?" he tosses back, a carefree smile still on his face, still riding a high after his earlier victory. Still euphoric over defending his claim successfully, though even he doesn't consciously know that's what he's done, much less Kagome.

"Yes," she answers, a look of resignation and sadness on her face. "Yes, you should. Inuyasha, what did the moon look like last night?"

"Am I supposed to remember?" She can almost hear him roll his eyes. "Uh, guess it was a waning crescent? I think?"

"Yes," she almost whispers into his ear. "It was. And what will tonight be?"

"The new-" His voice stops, and he skids to an abrupt halt, almost knocking Kagome off her perch. She quickly tugs out of his hold, standing on her own feet. She watches as his face morphs into a somber expression. "The new moon," he mutters, cursing under his breath. "Tonight's the new moon. _Crap._"

"What are we going to do?" Kagome asks, meeting his gaze helplessly. "It's not safe to stay out here in the forest. And I don't begin to know where to look for a village."

"I guess we'll just have to climb up a tree somewhere." Inuyasha curses again, his face angry. "I freakin' _hate_ the new moon! I ain't supposed to be hiding! And _you _shouldn't have to be responsible for defending the both of us!"

"It's okay, Inuyasha," she says softly. "We've been in this position before, and we've survived."

"Barely!" he retorts, eyes flashing. "Remember the spiderheads that one time? And the neko youkai that almost got us a couple years back? We were playing hide-and-seek for our lives _all night_!"

"Well, the ideal solution isn't possible, unless _you _happen to know where the nearest human settlement is!" she shoots back, not really upset with him, only frustrated at the situation in general.

"Kago-" Inuyasha's words are cut off by a twitch of his ears, and then his nose. He turns his head to the left, looking towards the road they have yet to travel.

"What is it?" she asks anxiously, a hand going to her bow. _Not again..._

"Human," he answers, his eyes still fixed on the distance. "Definitely human. Probably only one. Most likely harmless." He snorts and turns away.

She relaxes. "Maybe they know if a village is close!" she suddenly exclaims aloud, her eyes lighting up. Inuyasha just gives a "feh" and starts walking again, muttering profanities to himself about the night to come.

Within ten minutes, they cross paths with the lone traveler. ("Just like I said," Inuyasha whispers to her smugly.) He wears the robes of a monk, and carries a long golden staff with jingling rings on the head.

"Excuse me, houshi-sama?" Kagome tentatively calls when they are within speaking distance. "Could we speak to you for a moment?"

"Certainly, young lady," the monk calls back, smiling cordially. Kagome is struck by his handsome features, although he has no hair, as is customary. Inuyasha narrows his eyes at the holy man, and Kagome shoves him lightly, silently warning him to play nice.

Upon approaching him, she smiles brightly. _He really is quite young for a monk, no older than eighteen or nineteen, I'd guess. _"My companion and I wish to stay the night in a village, if at all possible, but we are unfamiliar with this part of the country. Do you know of a place nearby?"

"Of course, fair miko," he responds, flashing a dashing smile. Kagome can't help but blush. "Simply follow the road you are on for another few hours, and soon you will come to a rather unique village."At Inuyasha's raised eyebrow, he elaborates, "It is a village of taijiya."

"Demon slayers," Inuyasha mutters. "Great."

_Perfect for a new moon, though, _Kagome thinks with relief. "Many thanks, houshi-sama. I appreciate it- we truly are in real need of shelter."

"It is never a problem for me to help a beautiful priestess like yourself," he answers, his voice charming. She can't seem to stop the small laugh that bubbles up from her chest, even though she can feel Inuyasha's eyes burning into her.

"You flatter me, sir."

"Not at all," the houshi continues, his smile still bright on his face. "It is a shame that such a lovely flower as yourself has chosen the life of a miko... your beauty will never live on in future generations." (2) His expression grows wistful, and Kagome's face turns red.

"Well, um... I haven't, exactly taken all the, um, vows of a traditional miko... I was only trained by one," she answers, haltingly. Lady Sayuri had explained to her the vow of purity that a Shinto miko would take, but had never forced her to swear one herself, and Kagome had never brought it up. However, discussing such things with an unfamiliar male was a little embarrassing.

"Oh? How fortunate!" the monk's face lights up once more with a grin.

"I... suppose so?" Kagome is confused at his excitement. "I don't see how it's relevant..."

He moves forward and takes her hands in his own, his eyes staring into hers. Kagome's cheeks go bright red with the intimacy of the gesture. "Ah, but it is completely relevant, my dear," he answers her. "You see, for a while now I have been seeking a woman best suited to carry on my family line."

"Your... family line?" she repeats, her voice strangely high in pitch. "...what?"

"Sweet miko, would you consider bearing my child?"

Kagome blinks, taking a moment to let his ludicrous words sink in. His face is so utterly sincere and innocent when he says them, that for a second, she doesn't understand just what he's asking her. Then, she very pointedly removes her hands from his own, her blush fading from her face. It's replaced by a slightly disgusted expression. "Um, no."

"_Hell no!_" Inuyasha elaborates, snarling. He grabs Kagome by the shoulders and pulls her back to him. She lets out a tiny squeak as he does so, but he doesn't seem to notice. An arm wraps around her, both protectively and possessively. Her blush returns in full force.

"You've got some nerve, you pervert bouzu!" he snarls at the man, and then, taking Kagome by the hand, starts pulling her away as fast as possible. "Come on Kagome, let's get away from this creep."

"Goodbye," he calls after them serenely. Kagome just gives him a look. She turns back to Inuyasha, quirking an eyebrow.

"Well. That was awkward."

He gives an incoherent grumble in reply.

~/~/~

The sun's dusky rays are gently prodding the treetops to make way before the pair reach the taijiya village. With frequent glances at her hanyou, Kagome sees that he is still not near enough to his inevitable transformation. Over the years, she has noticed that within the hour of it occurring, he begins to show signs of discomfort- he begins to look around more often, nervous, and his ears always start to twitch. She has to hide a smile at the thought, remembering back several decades.

_It's been two weeks since Kagome arrived at Izayoi and Inuyasha's doorstep, and the sun is setting on a good day. It's a good day when she doesn't think about Mama too much, and when her tears don't make an appearance, when she is able to be distracted by playing with her new friend. _

_She's inside, with said playmate, on the floor of the hut. A warm glow comes from a few candles placed about the room. They find entertainment by playing with little dolls made of fabric scraps and sticks, some carrying twig swords (courtesy of a puppy-eared hanyou) and some crowned with circlets of grass (handiwork of a black-haired little girl). Izayoi is watching nearby, cleaning up after dinner. Her mouth smiles at their antics, but her eyes are worried. _

_All day, Kagome has noticed her adoptive mother becoming more and more nervous, for no reason that she can tell. There are little lines around her mouth, and her brow is furrowed more often than not, her dark eyes trained on her son. _

_However, now she is absorbed in the game of pretend, and has no time to think about such abstract things. After all, there's a princess's wedding to plan! _

_Just as the cloth bride is about to kiss her groom, he is struck through the heart by a wooden sword, effectively cancelling his impending matrimony. Laughing evilly, his assailant rides about the other dolls on an invisible horse, brandishing his weapon._

"_Hey!" Kagome cries, glaring at Inuyasha. "You just ruined Princess Buttercup's wedding! No fair!"_

"_Well, her prince shoulda had a sword instead of a dumb grass crown!" he retorts, smirking with mischief. In reply, she tackles him, trying to get the prince doll back, which he's stolen after "impaling". _

_As they wrestle on the floor, each grasping for the doll, her attention is suddenly diverted to his ears. His white, soft, twitching puppy dog ears. And instead of grabbing at the prince again, she reaches out with both hands and starts petting the madly wiggling appendages. She giggles at the effect; he stops struggling, and almost involuntarily, his eyes droop halfway closed as she rubs the soft fur. She can hear Izayoi laughing behind her as well at the sight. _

_And then, suddenly, there are no ears to rub._

_The air rippling like water, Kagome blinks and misses the change. One moment, her friend is silver haired and golden eyed like normal, his tiny fangs visible through a slightly open mouth, his furry ears under her hands- and then the next, his hair is midnight black, his eyes are as brown as her own, and his wonderful ears are nowhere to be seen._

_A second passes, in which everyone stops breathing. Kagome's eyes are staring into Inuyasha's now wide-awake ones, struggling to understand. Izayoi sighs, her face sad but accepting after Kagome turns to look. _

"_Come here, Inuyasha," she says, and kneeling, she opens her arms. He breaks from Kagome's gaze like he's in a trance and makes his way to her, and she envelops his now unmistakably human body into her arms. One hand reaches to stroke his ebony locks, her voice soothing as she murmurs comforting things into his human ear. After a moment, she lets him go, and he looks at Kagome, his dark eyes mirroring his mother's. They're sad too, and a little bit scared._

"_...Kagome?" he asks her, his voice high and nervous. _

"_What... what happened?" she asks, her little voice bemused at the seemingly random transformation. "Are you... human, Inuyasha?"_

"_Once a month, hanyou have a... vulnerable time," Izayoi explains softly to the girl. "Their human blood takes over, and they become human. Inuyasha will only be human for one night. Tonight is the new moon, Kagome. It's his time."_

_She blinks, taking everything in. Inuyasha watches her anxiously. _

_Then, she runs over and tackles him with an enormous hug. And that's when everyone knows that everything is going to be okay._

Coming out of her memories, Kagome notices that the first houses are coming into view, and that Inuyasha has slowed down. "What's the matter?" she asks, looking back at him.

"I can't go in there while I'm like this," he tells her, raising an eyebrow and gesturing to his demonic characteristics. "It's a village of _demon slayers, _Kagome. They're not gonna wanna welcome a hanyou."

She sighs. She'd known, really, but hadn't wanted to admit it. Walking over to him, she embraces him briefly. "I'll go in and get us a place to stay, then," she says, pulling away and ignoring the pink that has shot through both their cheeks at the physical contact. "See you at sundown."

With a wave, she heads down the road to the heart of the village. She can feel Inuyasha's eyes watching her until she's out of sight.

She is met with welcoming smiles and words from the taijiya village's people, her miko's attire garnering immediate recognition and respect from the warriors. She inquires after a place to stay, and after a moment, the headman, who is passing by, recommends an inn just down the road.

"My name is Hideki, and I am the headman of this village," he tells her, leading her to her lodging. "What are you called, miko-sama?"

"Kagome," she replies, finding herself trusting the middle-aged man's honest expression and deep eyes. "My name is Kagome."

He looks at her in surprise and recognition. "You are the miko Kagome? The miko who carries the Shikon no Tama within her flesh?"

Her shock ripples across her face and freezes her body in place. She tenses, ready for anything. Perhaps she has misjudged this man, perhaps he will attack her for the jewel, will steal her away on the worst night of the month, will try to remove the stone from her body-

"I mean no harm or insult, Kagome-sama," he amends hastily, seeing her immediate and negative reaction. "I have no personal wish to obtain the Jewel of Four Souls. However, it bears a singular and unique connection with this village, and I was simply... interested, that the rumored miko has come to rest here from her travels."

Her body relaxes completely at his words, slightly ashamed of herself. It's not usually in her nature to be so ready to distrust. _Defending the Jewel for so long is affecting me, _she thinks, darkly. _I want it gone. _Something within her tingles at the thought, as if she has brushed too close past a fire.

"I apologize, sir. I did not mean to be so rude. It's just... not many humans know about my possession of the Shikon no Tama." Her eyes grow dark, remembering her recent encounter with Kouga. "And any that do know, human and youkai alike, without fail, have always come after me in an attempt to steal it away." _Besides one, _she corrects in her mind, smiling inside at the thought of her steadfast, if brash, protector.

"Of course," the headman inclines his head. "I understand."

"What did you say, about the Jewel having a connection to your village?" Kagome asks him next, curious.

Hideki looks at her, seeming to evaluate her, measure her with his eyes. "How much have you heard of the miko Midoriko?"

"_Many generations ago, a powerful miko called Midoriko unintentionally created the Sacred Jewel, the Shikon no Tama, as she battled with many youkai. Her soul, combined with the other demons she fought, are trapped within this jewel, always engaged in a never-ceasing battle for all eternity, so long as the gem exists."_

"I know that she created the Shikon no Tama," Kagome answers slowly. "She was fighting against youkai, was she not?"

"Yes," Hideki replies, smiling, before again becoming serious and continuing on. "So you do know of her. Well, it was in a cave near to this place that she fought the demons, and created the jewel that now resides within your body. The legend has been passed down for generations among us, and now that you have come to us, bearing the same artifact which disappeared long ago, you can imagine how our people would be interested and happy to talk to you." He concludes his brief story with another smile, and Kagome feels a brief pang at how _fatherly _he seems. Her own father's smile is a distant memory for her now, and she's not sure whether she can remember it.

Shaking off her short moment of wistfulness, she thanks Headman Hideki for his time and directions. "I will get settled in here, then," she says by way of parting. "Thank you very much for your hospitality, Hideki-san."

"My pleasure, Kagome-sama," he bows, and then takes his leave.

The innkeeper is an older woman with stern, slightly cloudy eyes but a hospitable disposition. Kagome gives her some money, and she leads her to a relatively comfortable room with a wide futon. After she leaves, Kagome sets her bag down and sits on the futon, gazing out the opened screen door into the courtyard, watching the sun set, painfully slowly.

As she glances down at her things, one of her old kimono, one that Izayoi had given her, years ago, before her miko days, is poking out of her bag. Pulling it out, she runs her hands over the slightly faded lavender material. In no way is it fancy- just a light purple with small flowers embroidered around the edges. She hasn't worn it since she received her miko garments. So she's not exactly sure what makes her change into the familiar clothing, and put up her hair as Izayoi used to do for her, while she lived. Perhaps a deep-seated wish, for a time before the Jewel, before tragedy.

For whatever reason, she sits in the doorway in her old clothes, thinking of times past and loved ones long dead, as the sunset evolves into night.

_Daddy. Mama. Souta. Jii-chan. Mother. You are all gone... who have I left, besides Inuyasha? What do I have left to live for, besides him and this Kami-forsaken jewel? _

Watching the light fade from the sky is not an easy task, as Kagome soon discovers. It's agonizing, to say the least, and her patience is nearly completely gone when the deep blue velvet of the night finally drapes itself over the sky. On it sits the stars that appear like winking silver candles, lighting up the heavens with their glow. However, where the moon should hang in the constellations is a conspicuous black cavity, a tear in the tapestry of the atmosphere.

She takes a moment to stare at the symbolic scene before standing, stretching her legs. She wonders if Inuyasha has been able to find her in this village without his demonic sense of smell, and decides to go out to the main room in the inn to find out.

As she draws nearer to the front room, she hears someone enter. Walking faster, she sees that a quite human Inuyasha has just walked into the room, and is crossing his arms over his chest as he scowls at the innkeeper, who is giving him a suspicious glare. Sensing trouble, Kagome hurries over to them.

At the sight of her, Inuyasha's eyes go wide. Belatedly she realizes that she's still wearing the lavender kimono and different hairstyle. She gives him a sheepish smile, flushing.

"Excuse me, he's with me," she says quickly, taking Inuyasha by the hand and beginning to lead him back to her room.

"Hold up there, girl!" the innkeeper commands sharply, and Kagome realizes that with her different hair and kimono, the woman does not recognize her, as she hasn't had a good look at her face yet. "Where do you think you're going with this man?"

"He is with me, ma'am," she repeats, feeling dread in the pit of her stomach. She knows what's coming next.

"Oh is he, now?" the innkeeper replies with a raised eyebrow. "Is this man family?"

Kagome winces. "Well-"

"Is he your husband?" she continues on, oblivious to the red faces of both young adults at the question. No matter how many times this has happened, somehow it never gets any less awkward.

"Keh! No, I ain't married to her!" Inuyasha snorts, his face coloring to match the hue of his fire-rat haori. Kagome feels an irrational burst of indignation at his tone, but then calms down after a moment.

"If you aren't blood and you aren't married, then I'm afraid I can't let you go back there with her, _sir,_" the woman finishes, politely and yet harshly at the same time.

"He is... my guardian," Kagome hastens to explain. "My parents... died, and wished that he look after me. We were separated on the road and he's just now caught up." Her lie feels painfully close to the truth, and even after all these years, she can feel herself cry a little inside when she thinks about Izayoi and the deaths of her first family, years before.

Something in her expression seems to appeal to the innkeeper, and, grudgingly, she acquiesces. Without delay, Kagome thanks the woman and drags Inuyasha back to the room, out of her sight.

Darkness has enveloped the small room in her short absence, and quickly she lights two candles placed about the room, on the floor. Seating herself on the futon beside him when she's done, Kagome looks at Inuyasha. His face is under-lit, only partly illuminated, much in shadow. His now-dark eyes raise up to meet her own, his long, midnight-black hair nearly brushing the floor. They sit for a moment, waiting, the sense of something taut in the air between them giving them pause.

"The headman told me some interesting things about the Jewel," Kagome says at last, breaking the silence but not the eye contact.

"Like what?"

"Supposedly, Midoriko created it here," she begins softly. Her eyes drop to their hands, resting on the blankets, centimeters from each other. His is familiar yet strange, the absence of his claws both endearing and disappointing. The overwhelming urge to touch his fingers overcomes her mind for a moment. "They used to protect it, I think."

"Wish they'd take it back," he snorts, drawing her gaze away from his hand and back up to his face.

"Me too." Her heart is filled with longing for a life without the pressures and danger of the Shikon jewel- just her and Inuyasha, living in peace.

She's not exactly sure when her head drops to his shoulder, or when he gently lays her down, although at some subconscious level, she is aware of both. She feels the warmth of the blanket being drawn over her, and feathery breath ghosting over her cheek, before she falls completely into unconsciousness.

_Inuyasha..._

~/~/~

"_Inuyasha!_" She wakes up with tears streaming down her face, crying out the name of her protector instinctively, his name coming naturally to her tongue. It's still dark outside; the sun has not yet risen. Swirling echoes of her horrific nightmare race around her mind, the rapid beating of her heart predominant in her ears. Her mother, her father, her baby brother, her grandfather- all gone, all engulfed in the fiery inferno. She, powerless to save them. Just a helpless little girl.

"Daddy, oh Daddy," she cries, hugging her knees to her chest. Almost instantly she feels another pair of arms wrap around her.

"In-Inuyas-sha," she gasps out, weeping with a vengeance. The force of her emotions leaves her stunned in their wake, a tsunami victim without a home, standing on the tallest rooftop around, praying to Kami-sama not to drown.

He doesn't say anything, just pulls her head to his chest and rests his chin on the crown of her head, holding her like Izayoi always used to when she would cry about her parents as a child. The longing in her heart overflows into endless salty tears, as the recollections of the peace of times past hits her with full force.

She doesn't know how long they sit like that. She mumbles out the names of her family, her sobbing subsiding after a few minutes, the grief and silent tears lasting for much longer. At last, she hiccups and pulls away, looking at her hanyou in the face.

There's not much light to see by- only the starlight, tinkling in through the gap in the screen door, comparable to the usual moonlight like a trickling creek compares to a flowing stream. However, it reflects off of his nearly black eyes as if they contain precious metals. "Inuyasha," she whispers. "I'm sorry."

"You shouldn't be," he mumbles back, his hypnotizing gaze fixing her in place. "Everyone has nightmares."

"But... but it happened so long ago," she murmurs, feeling ashamed. "I... I shouldn't have reacted like that."

"No matter how long ago it happened, it's still always gonna hurt," he answers her somberly, his voice sad. "You're allowed to cry sometimes, you know."

She smiles, though he can't see her in the dark with his human eyes. "Thanks, Inuyasha." Her heart still aches, however, and little tears still find their way down her chin. "What... what do you think of going home?"

"Home?" he sounds confused. "...where do you mean?"

"Home, to the village... the village by the well." She tries to see his face in the blackness. "It feels like something's calling me back... back to the place I came from. Does that make sense?"

He is silent for a while. Then, "Yeah. Yeah, it kinda does."

Somehow, his words of understanding touch something within her soul. Their eyes meet, a spark flowing between them. _He feels like home. He feels safe, familiar... I feel like I could stay here forever._

Something electric is in the air, something very nearly tangible, that slips through her fingers like quicksilver. Kagome can't express it, can't define it, can't even hold it in her mind- but it's there, connecting them, keeping them captive in each other's gaze.

"...Inuyasha?" her voice is breathless from crying.

"...Kagome." His tone is unfamiliar to her, as is the look in his eyes.

And then, for the second time in less than twenty-four hours, she is taken by surprise when another pair of lips are suddenly covering her own.

Unlike her "first kiss", Inuyasha's kiss is short, soft, and sweet, not demanding, simply a warm pressure on her mouth, remaining for a few timeless seconds and then releasing her. Her brown eyes are wide, liquid in the starlight, still swimming with tears. In them are all the words that can't quite make it out of her mouth, of gratefulness and happiness and an unnamed emotion, one she's coming to believe might just be something like love.

_Is that... what this is? Love? How do I know? _

_How can I be sure?_

In the end, her musing is brought to a halt by her worn-out body. She falls asleep in Inuyasha's arms again, deciding to ignore the kiss... for tonight.

His name is the last thing to leave her lips before the darkness claims her.

~/~/~

Many miles away, in a small village by a well, a small spider spins his sticky web, the rumor of the Shikon no Tama fresh in his memory, the taste of greed and ambition sickly sweet in his mouth. His tiny, grotesque features twist into a malicious smirk as he looks upon the old wooden structure rising up from the ground.

Perching on the lip, he stares down into the dark depths with red, glowing eyes.

"Soon, the guardians of the Jewel will know my name," his hoarse voice intones, "And will learn to fear it."

As the sun rises once more, he scuttles back into the underbrush of the forest, brooding, to lie in wait for his opportunity to arise.

~/~/~

* * *

><p>(1) This paragraph... could cause some controversy on the part of many people who have a rather feminist take on life. I don't want to get into a big debate or anything, I just wanted to explain my view of this very briefly. Basically, in my opinion, women and men are equal, just good at different things, in most cases. I do believe that girls should have the option to do anything that boys can do. I also believe that the man should be the provider and protector, the leader. However, I love the saying "The man may be the head of the family, but the woman is the neck that turns it". Women are strong and independent and in no way need a man to "complete" them. But when a man and woman decide to create a relationship, this is my opinion on how things should be. Call me old fashioned if you will. ;) Here, Kagome is beginning to discover the importance of the "letting him think he's won" stratagem, something she'll definitely need to know with that hard-headed hanyou of hers! (: I hope I've explained myself fairly well- I'm sure that you'll see this viewpoint as a recurring theme in any future stories of mine. <strong>*This note was not intended to cause offence, but rather to prevent it.*<strong>

(2) I commend you if you can guess which famous piece of English literature this is alluding to. ^_^

Author's Note: Well, there you are... they kissed(: I didn't even run this by Elantina first cause I wanted her to be surprised. Ish. You can thank her (for the threats) and the following songs for me updating at last:

Kyoudai (from Full Metal Alchemist OST 3)

Little Wonders- Rob Thomas

Just A Kiss- Lady Antebellum

Paradise- Coldplay

(There's more, but I won't bore you.) All of these songs are so beautiful, especially Kyoudai. Go look it up if you haven't heard it!

I feel like this was rather rushed at the end... and all the way through=/ please let me know how the pacing is and just give me some critique, people! I really do listen to it, I promise. I CAN take criticism positively;) And sorry for any repetitiveness of themes or metaphors or words or anything else, I wrote this over the entire three week period and I didn't read it in its entirety before posting in my haste.

Thanks so much to my reviewers for Chapter Nine:

Elantina

Formidable Rain (I debated about Sesshy's arm... there were just too many other things to fit in, but thanks for reminding me, it made me giggle:) sorry to disappoint lol.)

Inu-'SIT'-loveKag

Miko-sama

Gina

life

Shining

M.J (Sorry to keep you waiting! Didn't mean to...:(

Flames. Je

I love you guys, especially you that review every chapter, you always make me smile and give me inspiration!

And now I will draw this extremely long chapter, and author's note, to a close. (ALMOST ELEVEN THOUSAND WORDS OF STORY HERE PEOPLE. _) Thank you for reading!

Please review(: It makes my day when you do!

-Lady E


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. Promise.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Eleven<strong>

Inuyasha's never kissed a girl before.

He's kind of embarrassed by that fact, and as the subject hasn't ever come up between him and Kagome, he hopes that she doesn't know. After all, he's not exactly the picture of innocence- he's fought countless youkai of differing levels of ability and won every time. He's somewhat gruff and is definitely not afraid of anything he can take on with his muscles, claws, or sword.

However, females are a different animal altogether, and despite living with one for the better part of a century, he's still uncomfortable and shy when it comes to dealing with them (in a way that doesn't make them run screaming, that is.)

So kissing Kagome is something new entirely, something he's both wanted and feared for a long time now. He's thought about it quite a lot, actually, and has wondered about... well, pretty much everything. It's a self-gratifying fantasy that has been lurking in the back of his mind for years, and has recently been plaguing him with discomfiting questions. Like what is he supposed to do with his arms, exactly? And he really doesn't want to go cross-eyed in the middle of it all.

There's also the secret fear that she won't respond, will look at him with disgust in her eyes and reject him, because hasn't he always known that a hanyou like him could never be good enough to deserve a miko, a woman, like her? Maybe she'll mock him, for being so inexperienced. _She won't do that, _the more rational part of his mind reasons. _She's just as new to this as you, idiot. _

_...isn't she?_

Just the thought of Kagome kissing some faceless stranger causes rage to rise within him, and his furious youkai blood demands the life of the nameless fool that dared touch what is rightfully _his, _and his alone.

So many conflicting, contrary emotions whirl through his mind that his head starts to spin.

So he is immensely relieved to find that it's rather natural. The kiss is short, only a few seconds at most, but it's enough to make both their eyes close for a beat of their hearts. He doesn't worry about his hands because they're already wrapped around her torso, holding her close. No, kissing her isn't awkward.

The aftermath, however, is a different story.

The next morning, he wakes up to find her eyes already open, staring at him in dazed disbelief. He nearly jumps out of his skin when he finds that she's resting on his chest, almost cradled in his arms. Both of them stare at each other for a moment more, testing the waters. His newly returned puppy ears lower slightly in response to the apprehension in the atmosphere.

It's Kagome that breaks the silence at last. She carefully extricates herself from his loose hold on her and rises from the futon. Inuyasha can't seem to move, simply allowing her to remove his arms from around her and stand up. Clearing her throat, she refuses to look him in the eye, instead staring at a seemingly fascinating spot on the floor by her feet. "Ready to pack up and go?" she asks, moving toward their packs without waiting for his answer.

It's not often that Inuyasha feels regret, for anything, but looking at her back turned to him, he has the brief, passing urge to sigh. Already he can feel the unease of the long days of travel ahead. But it's not the kiss he wishes he could go back and change.

_Well, at least we're going 'home', _he thinks as he manages to overcome his temporary paralysis and get to his feet. Memories, left untouched and dusty for decades, flash through the back of his mind fleetingly.

_Yeah... home._

~/~/~

"Hello?"

Inuyasha stares hard at the bemused young woman before him, taking in everything about her. Her black hair is tied up in a cloth, as is the custom of human peasants, and her kimono is faded but pretty. Her face is fair, with a smile hovering around the corners of her mouth, hesitating to show itself completely. However, it's her eyes that really catch his attention. They're a deep, warm brown, and they are astonishingly, unmistakably familiar. He feels his mind stutter in its train of thought, interrupted by the realization.

And then the woman's mouth moves again, her voice falling on expectant ears.

"I am Aika," she says, meeting his golden eyes with a slight tremor in her otherwise neutral tone. He does not wonder at her fear, but takes no pleasure in it. "What business do you have here?"

From beside him, Kagome makes herself known with a disarming smile, diffusing the tension effortlessly, as usual. "Hello," she answers, bowing slightly. "My name is Kagome, and this is Inuyasha. We've come to search for a place to stay... rather permanently."

Surprise shows in the woman's eyes for just a moment before she composes herself again. "Oh? Forgive me... but what can be the appeal of such a small fishing village to a miko such as yourself and her... companion?" Her eyes slide back over to Inuyasha, and rest on his ears for a split second.

"Keh. Don't see how it's any business of yours, wench," he addresses Aika for the first time, his face turning into a distrustful scowl. Even if this woman does have a face like Kagome, it doesn't mean she has a heart to match.

"Perhaps," is her placating reply, although her eyebrows raise slightly.

"So... are you able to help us?" Kagome asks, cautious in her tone.

Aika sums them up with her large, knowing eyes, eyes that Inuyasha can feel travel over every silver-haired, golden eyed, dog-eared inch of him. Eyes that note Kagome's attire and again jump to the white triangles atop his head. Eyes that take in their behavior toward one another, that observe their absolute trust, and also notice the reserved, almost awkward physical distance between them.

For a long moment, she stands and considers. Inuyasha knows what's going through her head, and he internally braces himself for the inevitable questioning of their relationship that happens at every village, and is always difficult to provide an answer to. After all, how do you explain something you don't really understand yourself?

Kagome has been a part of his life for so long that he can't imagine existing without her. She can't be put into a traditional family role, not really... she is best friend and sister all wrapped up into one, and so much more besides. But it's not that simple. Their kiss in the night hadn't been one between adopted siblings, or one a friend gives to another. It had felt like an introduction to something more... something deeper.

How on earth do you tell all that to a stranger only concerned with propriety?

He is brought back to the world outside his mental struggle when Aika speaks at last.

"I know... I know of an empty place, where you can live," she says, the words leaving her lips with a small sigh. He stares at her, uncomprehending for a moment. _Is she... not going to ask?_ What woman in her right mind _wouldn't_ ask? It is beyond understanding. All three of them know the significance of her words, and Kagome meets his gaze for nearly the first time in days, both their eyes widening. "There is a hut, on the south end of our village, that has stood abandoned for as long as any of us can remember. Although strange theories surround it, no one has an explanation for why it has never been filled or torn down." A smile comes to her face. "However, you are welcome to it, as no other has a claim on it. I will show you the way."

"Thank you," he replies, in all honesty stunned by the true kindness and welcome in her tone. It touches a place inside of him not easily reached, and he suddenly realizes how much her eyes remind him of Kagome's, after all.

Kagome is not so reserved, smiling brightly and stepping quickly up to briefly embrace the other woman. "We really appreciate it," she thanks her. A light blush dusts Aika's cheeks.

A minute later finds them on their way down the forest path, heading towards the village that two of them haven't seen in decades. They had met the young woman by chance when she had been gathering herbs a little ways from the settlement, and stopped her to inquire. Now they are returning with her, and she is becoming more at ease, with Kagome, at least. They're walking ahead, side by side, while Inuyasha follows behind. The two are talking animatedly, seemingly about Aika's new husband, if Inuyasha is hearing them right. Apparently she's just been married a few seasons ago.

Watching her and listening to her talk so happily, Inuyasha subtly scents the air with dawning suspicion. _Keh, I was right. She's already pupped, _he realizes. Paying closer attention to her now, he can barely see her beginning to show. Although he's never really paid much attention to this kind of thing, he's pretty sure she's almost at three months, and stores away the information for later use.

Ahead of him, Kagome laughs, derailing his thoughts. She's smiling, her head turned toward her companion, and almost unconsciously, he smiles in response, although there is no match for the brightness of her expression- there never has been. He looks around, wondering how much farther they will have to walk.

And it's then that he really sees, and remembers.

With his senses alert and memory searching, he recognizes everything... remembers running down this road in the early, early morning, the sounds of a village beginning to stir and begin the day all around him, following his nose... following the scent of smoke, tears, and fresh flowers. Listening to the echoes of someone crying in the distance.

Kagome's image blurs, and instead he sees a little girl less than half the height of the woman before him, wearing strange oversized clothing, her hair mussed from sleep and her skin smudged with soot, tear tracks running through the dirt and grime on her face.

_Can you help me?_

He's been expecting this, since the moment Aika spoke of a long-abandoned hut. Somewhere in the back of his head, he'd put the pieces together. His mind had just been unwilling to admit it to the rest of him. The proof is right in front of him, as they turn the last bend in the path.

Kagome's voice dies down as the small hut comes into view. He knows she's remembering, too.

"And here we are," Aika announces, watching as they take it in.

It's definitely their old hut. A strange lump sticks in his throat as he looks at the familiar structure. The years have taken their toll on his childhood home; vines grow over several parts of the walls, and the roof has holes in several places. Who knows what kind of state the inside is in. As he walks closer, he can see the little flower and herb garden his mother used to keep. To his surprise, it's the only thing that looks as he remembers. Someone's been cultivating it in their absence.

He looks back at Aika, an eyebrow raised over eyes swimming in days past. (Definitely not tears.) "Gardening, huh?"

She flushes slightly. "It... I... I've been doing it since I was a little girl," she confesses, smiling a little. "I used to wonder about the people that lived here- there were so many rumors, you see. I thought maybe they'd appreciate somebody taking care of the plants, since no one had taken care of the house."

Kagome steps up beside him. She's lost the battle with her tears, and a few are tracking quietly down her face as she looks at the patch of earth she and Izayoi used to work in together. "I'm... I'm sure they would have been thankful," she answers the other girl, turning to smile.

"Are you all right?" Aika asks, her brow furrowing in concern.

"Of course." She waves off her worry. "It's just... nice to have a home again, I guess." She laughs, wiping away her tears. "We've been traveling for so long, after all." He realizes with some surprise that her excuse is not exactly a lie, for either of them.

"We've got it from here," Inuyasha says, also turning to face Aika. "Thank you... very much." His expression conveys what his words never will, or at least he hopes it does, 'cause there ain't no way he's getting any more mushy than that.

"You are welcome. I hope you will settle in peacefully." Her expression is not so guarded towards him now, and she smiles.

"...Keh." And with that, he turns back around, listening to her hesitate a moment, then leave. He and Kagome stand there for a moment more. His hand tentatively finds hers, their fingers interlacing without thought. It's the first physical contact they've had since the incident, and to Inuyasha, it feels like relief.

"So... home again," she nearly whispers. His canine ears deftly catch each quiet word with perfect clarity. "Weird, huh?"

"You can say that again," he mutters, letting go of her hand to walk to the front door. Swinging it open, he looks back at her with a mischievous look in his eye. "After you, ma'am."

Rolling her eyes, she complies.

The inside is nearly as dilapidated as the exterior of the small hut. The little furniture they'd left behind has taken water damage from rain coming in through the holes in the roof and a window or two that has blown open. However, the structure of the building looks intact, and Inuyasha starts making a mental list of things to fix.

Kagome stares around at the inside, looking lost for a moment. Then, she sighs and sets her pack down on the dusty floor. "Time to go ask around for a broom," she says, grinning.

So the pair sets to work. It's midday when they start, and by sundown, the hut is mostly livable again. Kagome's swept out the inside and obtained new bedding and candles, and Inuyasha has managed to repair most of the roof and the various other openings damaged by exposure to the elements, despite not having very much experience with mending buildings of any kind.

It's nearly dark. Kagome's already inside, he knows, getting ready to sleep, and she'll expect him in at any moment. But sitting here, on the roof, staring up at the crescent moon, the only thing he can think about is that kiss, that incandescent, beautiful moment... and the uncomfortable silence in the following days. The unwillingness to acknowledge the incident, because maybe if it's not spoken of, then it will disappear and things can go back to how they were.

The only problem is, Inuyasha doesn't really want things to continue on as they've always been. That night, he had tasted what could be, and now that he knows it's a real, tangible possibility, he doesn't want to return to the times before. He wants to enter boldly into this novel and sensational experience, and he wants to enter it hand in hand with her.

But if she doesn't want him... if he's not good enough for her... then dragging her into it by the arm won't bring any happiness or satisfaction. And so it's with a rather melancholy feeling in his chest that he waits out on the roof until he can hear her slow, even heartbeat below before jumping down and going in to sleep.

He sits propped against the wall, legs crossed and arms in his sleeves, watching her sleeping form until unconsciousness claims him as well.

~/~/~

* * *

><p>Author's Note: I really am sorry for the three-week thing again. Many factors contributed to that, not the least of which was a nasty, second-degree sunburn (and the nine-hour long Saturday track meet that caused it) that kept me from updating last weekend, when I wanted to. I could go on a rant, but I won't bore you.<p>

This chapter was intentionally much, much shorter than the last few have been. For one, if I tried to make it longer, I wasn't going to update until next weekend probably. For another, I felt like the longer chapters were dragging. Please let me know what you thought about the shortness... feedback really does affect things like that. (:

Thanks to those who reviewed on chapter ten:

Elantina

Shining

Formidable Rain

windbreaking

seri glaze

Miko-sama

MJ

Gina

HelloKittyThong

Review replies for anonymous reviewers can be found on my profile, starting today, and will be renewed each time I update. Note that only those reviews with questions to be answered will receive a reply, although all of them make me smile. :) Thanks for all your support, guys! It was actually looking back over all the reviews I've gotten for Early Crossing that spurred me on to update today.

And now, if you would please leave a review, and give me the spark I need to continue this story to the end. (:

-Lady E


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

Author's Note: Thanks must go to Elantina, first and foremost, for recommending this story to her reviewers! She, of course, is roughly... eh, seventy percent of the reason y'all get updates? ;) Don't know what I would do without your advice and support, girl!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twelve <strong>

The days pass quickly in the village by the well. Kagome is welcomed by the villagers and their current miko, a middle-aged woman named Masuyo, the day after their arrival. The priestess greets her cordially upon their meeting.

"Hello, girl," she says with a smile, and Kagome bows in response.

"Masuyo-sama," she addresses the 'older' woman. "My name is Kagome. I'm also a miko- my companion and I arrived yesterday." The words leave her lips smoothly.

"Ah, yes, the miko and hanyou everyone's been gadding about," the miko answers with an airy wave of her hand. "Of course. Come on in, then, Kagome, and let's talk." Raising her eyebrows, Kagome nevertheless complies.

Masuyo gives off a distinct air of dottiness, she decides, watching the woman bustle about her hut. What she's doing, Kagome has no earthly idea. Her long hair is the color of darkened ash, ebony shot through with deep sterling silver, and it's braided down her back, swinging behind her as she walks. Finally, ceasing her apparently purposeless rummaging through her possessions, she comes to sit on the mats on the floor. Her almond-colored eyes sparkle at Kagome.

"Come sit," she commands in good humor. She readily obeys, seating herself cross-legged on the floor, facing the other miko. She focuses attentive eyes on the thin, energetic woman, a polite smile forming on her face.

"So, my dear, would you mind explaining to me about that Shikon no Tama you've got inside you there?"

Kagome's smile stays frozen to her face, but the rest of her suddenly begins to tense and shake. After another second, her eyes widen and the smile turns to open-mouthed apprehension. Although, upon another three seconds of mind-blanking panic, she remembers that Masuyo is another priestess. _No, really, Kagome. _Ergo, she's not going to steal the jewel or fight her for it, and her sensing the incredibly powerful and conflicted artifact is not really that surprising, anyway. Her mouth snaps shut, and she begins to berate herself silently for being caught off guard.

"Ah... _that."_

Masuyo chuckles at her reddening face and lost expression. "Why don't you start from the beginning?"

There's something about this woman she trusts, and for the first time, she finds herself wishing to confide everything in someone. This lady, with her lighthearted eyes and wise countenance, seems to stir something in her heart. For a moment, she looks into her expressive face and thinks of her own mother, her first mother, gone for countless years now.

And so Kagome does as Masuyo suggests, and starts from the very beginning, with the fire and the suffocating smoke and hiding in the well house. It feels good to finally reveal all to someone, and she finds herself overwhelmingly grateful that she and Inuyasha decided to return.

At the conclusion of her tale, Masuyo appears to be considering something. "Thank you for your time and your story, Kagome. It has been most interesting. Coming from a different world, indeed... I do believe there is more to your tale than either of us realize at the present moment."

After this, they exchange more pleasantries, and then Kagome takes her leave from the woman's home. She realizes that this meeting, far from helping her solve some mysteries of her life that she has long hoped to, has instead raised yet more questions for her to ponder. However, she is grateful to the woman for listening and understanding, and walks away feeling as if someone has lifted part of a heavy burden from her back.

~/~/~

Inuyasha, of course, has no such freeing experience.

A month later, Kagome is in Masuyo-sama's home, hunting among the stores for a certain dried herb. However, her mind is elsewhere, lingering on unpleasant memories.

At first sight, he had been confronted by the fearful villagers. It had taken a long while and many reassurances from Kagome before they'd accepted that he was benevolent in his intentions towards them, and even then, the atmosphere had been tense. It still makes her a little sad and angry when she remembers the prejudiced, unjustified insults they had thrown at him like rocks.

_He's a hanyou... not an axe murderer! _Kagome thinks, her ire rising all over again remembering the way his ears had lowered and his eyes had turned sad at their condemning words, even as he had barked harsh and vulgar retorts right back at them. _Bigots. Sigh._

However, the next time a malicious youkai had come after their little village, the opinions of said bigots had altered substantially. _Completely annihilating the thing with a Kaze no Kizu seemed to change their minds somewhat, _Kagome thinks with an amused smirk, pausing in her search and closing her eyes to better recall the exact expressions on their faces while witnessing the power of Tetsusaiga.

The sound of someone entering the small dwelling behind her interrupts her recollections. Turning, she smiles at the newcomer.

"Aika-chan! I was just about to come find you to give you-" she turns and rakes her eyes back over the shelves, making a triumphant noise when she locates her prize at last. "-this!" she exclaims, holding up a small bag. "Masuyo-sama said it would help with the morning sickness."

"Thanks, Kagome-chan." The younger woman's eyes light up as she takes the bag from her friend. "This should help a lot. I'm hoping, anyway."

"So," Kagome says, sitting down and motioning for Aika to do the same, "how's everything going? Satoru doing okay with impending fatherhood?"

"As well as any man, I suppose," Aika replies, and the two young women share a laugh at the poor man's expense. "But really, he's been wonderful." A blush dusts her cheeks a rosy pink, reminding Kagome of the girl's newness to marriage and romance in general- she's certainly no matron. Her curiosity is piqued, and she can't help but wonder about Aika's contented life, so different from her own. Kagome loves her life as it is, traveling around with Inuyasha and seeing so much of Japan, and wouldn't trade it for anything.

However...

Just for a moment, she fantasizes about being where Aika is, married and starting a family, no sacred jewel or attacking youkai or miko powers to worry about. Just her, a husband, and her whole, peaceful

life ahead of her.

A brief pang shoots through her heart at the thought, and a memory rises up from the dark recesses of her early childhood- from those dark times, just before they had left the village by the well.

_Kagome is hiding, her heart scared. A few tears roll down her cheeks as she peeks around the doorway at Mother and Inuyasha. Her friends have just rejected her, accusing her of being a witch, a demoness, because her body isn't growing as fast as it should be. She can still see the fear and scorn in their twelve-year-old eyes as she turned to run back home. _

_Mother is talking to Inuyasha. She's about to interrupt, when their words catch her attention. _

"_Kagome's not like you, Inuyasha," Izayoi is saying. "She's not a hanyou. You will live for a long, long time, and so your body will grow slower, too. But Kagome's a human girl, and she should be getting bigger by now."_

"_How come it matters, Mother?" he asks, golden eyes wide. "She's still just Kagome."_

"_Well, human girls get married soon, Inuyasha. I'd be thinking about finding her a husband in a few years, if she was like the other girls. But she's still so little, that it's impossible." The woman had sighed, and Kagome quickly backed out of the doorway to run to Goshinboku, not waiting to hear the rest of the conversation. That was where she always went when she was sad or didn't know what to do._

_'Married... I would be married?' Kagome shakes her head at the thought, confused. 'But... to who?' She is bewildered by the question, staring up into the tall limbs of the ancient tree. All she can picture is some faceless man in a fancy kimono like the ones she'd seen on the village men at other weddings. She makes a face. 'Who needs to get married, anyway? I'm happy here, with Mother... and Inuyasha.'_

Coming back to herself, she takes the opportunity in the natural lull in their conversation to ask a question she hasn't even realized she wanted an answer to before today.

"Aika-chan... what's it like, being married?"

Her friend turns a surprised gaze onto Kagome, caught off guard by her sudden curiosity. "Being married?"

"Yes..." Kagome's embarrassed now, but decides it would be cowardly to take the words back now that they've been spoken. "Is it... nice? Exciting? What's it like, sharing your life with someone else?"

Aika's pretty brown eyes wander somewhere to Kagome's right, unfocusing a little as she considers the question. A sweet smile rises to her lips. "Truly?" she replies. "With Satoru... it's perfect." With little further prodding, she begins her story.

"I was fourteen years old, and I had just recently become a woman. My father was just beginning to search for a husband for me. Honestly... I hated the idea, at first. I threw a real fit when he told me his goal was to have me married off before I turned sixteen, at the latest." Her expression turns to one of amusement. "I can't say I was the most obedient daughter.

"But my father was determined, and he wasn't going to accept any dissent on my part. So he accepted many men's invitations to talk and discuss marriage with me. The funny thing was, even though he was in such a hurry to get me married off, all of them fell short of his standards, and he refused all of them, one by one. For a whole year, he talked with man after man, but each potential husband was always sent away because of some quality he was lacking, most of the time before I had a chance to even meet them."

"Isn't that being a little... picky?" Kagome wonders aloud. "Not that you don't deserve the best man out there, of course. But what if he never found the perfect husband for you? Was he going to keep you forever?"

"My mother warned him about that, several times," Aika replies. Her hands raise up in a helpless gesture. "But Father refused to listen. In a way, it was sweet- he wanted only the best for me. But realistically, Mother and I both knew that the ideal man wasn't attainable, at least not in the time frame he'd set. At the time, I didn't care much. I was just happy my arranged marriage was going to be put off for as long as possible.

"Then, the spring of my fifteenth year, a new man came to talk to Father. Satoru was different than all the rest, and everyone- even me- could see it. He was more modest and handsome than all the rest of them put together- but still, I was skeptical. I listened at the door during his conversation with Father. He told him he'd been enchanted by my beauty." Aika rolls her eyes, but blushes deeper. "He'd seen me with the village children, he said, and knew he wanted me for his wife. And a miracle happened; Father consented."

"Aww, that's so sweet!" Kagome's expression turns starry eyed. "You were lucky to marry someone so caring."

"That's not what I thought at first," she snorted, casting her eyes heavenward in exasperation with herself. "I was devastated at first, and bitter that I hadn't gotten to choose my own husband. Later I realized that if I could have chosen for myself, I couldn't have found anyone better than the man I married. I had resisted falling for anyone out of spite for so long that I didn't realize I was in love until I was standing next to him as his new bride." She giggles at the memory. "We were married about a year ago- the day before my sixteenth birthday, in fact. Father teased me about that.

"It's been different, definitely, as a married woman, but I'm getting used to it, and I'm getting pretty excited about the baby coming," she finishes, putting a hand lightly on her slightly swollen belly and grinning.

"I bet you are," Kagome smiles back, and they lapse into a comfortable silence. Her expression fades a little after a while, and she looks away, lost in thought.

_Aika-chan will have a good life, _she thinks. _She has a loving husband, a good home, a baby on the way... _Her mind flits to the sensation of a pair of warm lips against her own, amber eyes open and glinting in the faint light of the stars. Butterflies rise in her belly just remembering. But then her heart sinks and the fluttering stills, Kagome recalling just how long it's been since she and Inuyasha have even embraced.

_That night... was it a mistake? _Glancing at Aika once more, Kagome feels her heart clench painfully in her chest, an unbearably empty feeling beginning to expand there. Unwillingly, tears gather behind her eyes, and she has to cast her eyes to the ceiling to force them back.

"So, have you thought at all about what you want to name your baby yet?" Kagome asks, mostly to push her sudden melancholy away.

The other girl's expression turns shy. "Oh... well, we haven't exactly discussed it yet... and of course Satoru will have the final say on the name of our child, so..."

"You must have thought about it a _little,_" Kagome presses, smiling again. "I know I would have, if I was having a baby."

"Well... I haven't asked Satoru yet, but I was thinking maybe... Takeo, if it's a boy?"

"Takeo... I like it," Kagome replies thoughtfully. "A valiant first son is always a good thing."

"Mmhm... you think Satoru will agree?" Aika worries her bottom lip with her teeth.

"If he really loves and appreciates you, then he'll value your opinion," she replies firmly. Her mood lightening, she continues with a teasing smile forming on her face. "So, only a boy name, huh? What if you're carrying a girl instead?"

Aika laughs. "Of course I've considered that, Kagome-chan. If it's a girl... I think I'd like to name her Kikyo."

"Kikyo, huh?" Kagome thinks over the name, sounding it out in her head.

"It means 'unchanging love'. I've always liked it," Aika explains. "I want her to be reminded that there will always be someone who loves her, no matter what." She smiles softly, and Kagome nods her approval, sharing in her friend's infectious happiness.

"Kikyo sounds perfect."

~/~/~

The afternoon sun a few days later falls on Kagome working outside, in the garden she used to share with Izayoi. The work brings back bittersweet memories; painful though they are at first, Kagome is glad she still has them. Time lends the recollections a dulled edge, and so she is able to bear the remembering. The mundane work of weeding and watering and planting has a kind of rhythm about it, and has a way of relaxing her mind, which has been unusually unsettled lately.

She is just preparing another corner of the plot of land for healing herbs when a loud uproar steals her attention. Her head snaps around to look towards the center of the village, where she can hear excited voices and the faint clanking of tools- _or weapons, _she thinks morbidly. "What on earth?" she wonders aloud, quickly standing and brushing the dirt off her red hakama.

As she stands, torn over whether or not to go and investigate, a red and silver blur suddenly streaks into her field of vision.

"Inuyasha!" she exclaims indignantly, having been swept off the ground without any warning. "W-What are you doing?" Her face grows warm with embarrassment at her position cradled in his arms.

"Youkai," is his short answer as he rushes into their hut with single-minded determination. He quickly locates her bow and arrows, and her arms reach for them automatically. "Got to get you out of the way."

"How many?" is her automatic reply.

"It's a horde," he answers her grimly. "Something's stirred them up. Countless numbers of them are heading this way fast."

"They want the Jewel, don't they?" Kagome asks with a sinking feeling. Inuyasha gives her a fast nod in response.

"Can't let them find you," he says, voice strong as he exits their small home and begins to run, far away from the village and into the forest.

It takes a moment for Kagome to take hold of reality, but once she does, the instinctive, shivery grasp of fear on her heart is loosened. Her mind is fortified with rediscovered courage, and she tugs on the sleeve of Inuyasha's haori. "Inuyasha, wait. Please explain!"

"Can't stop- gotta get you outta here," he brushes her off, golden eyes focusing on the path ahead. With each stride, Kagome feels the pain of more people risking their lives in her stead. _The youkai will surely come through the village, and if they've got Inuyasha this panicky then Lady Masuyo may not be able to handle the attack on her own..._

"_No,_" she tells him, more forcefully than before. His frantic pace slows, and his worried eyes move down to meet her determined brown orbs, "They're after _me, _Inuyasha. They want what's inside _my _body. I can't let these people die for the sake of something most of them don't even know exists."

"Kagome!" His eyes are begging her to reconsider as he nonetheless skids to a stop. His expression is so open and raw that she has to look away, surprised by the emotion in his gaze. His arms tighten around her. "There ain't no way I'm letting you go back there! That thing is _huge! _Of course I'll go back and help the villagers out, but you gotta promise to stay here, where it's safe!"

Stubbornly, she sets her jaw and stares back up at him. "No. We've done this hundreds of times before, Inuyasha! I've never let you keep me away from a fight before, and I'm not going to start now, especially when innocent lives are concerned! This is what I've _trained _for, all my life, practically! Or have you forgotten the years with Sayuri-sama?" A fire has lit itself in her heart, and her words come passionately and earnestly. "And all the times I've held my own and even saved your life? I'm a miko! Why are you trying to stop me from doing what I'm meant to do _now, _of all times? What could possibly have changed?"

"Because... 'cause... _shit_!" His sudden curse makes them both jump, and he looks away, flushing. "I just... I just can't take you back there, Kagome. Please don't make me."

"Inuyasha,_ please_, listen to me! You're not making any sense! I need to go back and we both know it! So why won't you listen to reason?" Her tone is desperate, and she struggles to understand. She can feel his _youki_ pulsing furiously, though Tetsusaiga at his hip helps to calms the flow of his unequal blood, as they had discovered not long after obtaining the sword.

A low whine comes from the back of his throat. "Kagome... please... don't ask me to take you back to that village. Because I don't think I can."

Her temper is rising to boiling point, and she struggles in vain against his hold on her. She can't comprehend his irrationality, not when people could be dying as they have their useless argument here in the woods. Her voice rises to a yell, heat rising to her face in exasperation.

"Inuyasha, for the love of Kami-sama, _why?"_

"_Because I love you, dammit!" _

"_That's not a good enough_- wait, huh?" Her anger is halted in its tracks as she takes in the words he's just practically screamed loud enough for anyone within a mile's radius to hear, blinking.

"Keh..." Inuyasha growls softly, looking away, gripping her tightly.

Kagome's mind has suddenly and completely gone blank. Her anger is immediately forgotten, a fading emotion that becomes more faint with each rapid beat of her heart. Her ears are ringing with his words, his _declaration, _and her breath is short and shallow.

"Inuyasha?" Her voice is small and trembling. Can this really be what she believes, what she hopes? The four answering words she so wants to speak are poised on her lips, but out of fear, she cannot give them voice. _Is he... did he really mean it that way? _Her heart tells her to stop being stupid, because truly, she knows he did. Inuyasha isn't one to say something unless he really means it.

The wind ruffles through his long white hair as he looks back down at her, an unfathomable expression present on his features. Her eyes are caught in his gaze, and she is unable to say a word, waiting expectantly for something. His eyes take her back to a night she'll never forget.

_Something electric is in the air, something very nearly tangible, that slips through her fingers like quicksilver. Kagome can't express it, can't define it, can't even hold it in her mind- but it's there, connecting them, keeping them captive in each other's gaze._

She thinks maybe, by the expression on his face, he's remembering, too.

_Inuyasha's kiss is short, soft, and sweet, not demanding, simply a warm pressure on her mouth, remaining for a few timeless seconds and then releasing her. Her brown eyes are wide, liquid in the starlight, still swimming with tears. In them are all the words that can't quite make it out of her mouth, of gratefulness and happiness and an unnamed emotion, one she's coming to believe might just be something like love._

_Love..._ Kagome thinks now, and her heart lifts at the word. She inhales deeply, quietly, relishing in the sensation. _That's what this is... this is what it feels like. I... I love him, don't I? I think... maybe, I always have._

Emotion explodes in her chest, eliciting a quiet gasp from her throat, and her eyes go wide with surprise. _I love Inuyasha! _She basks in the happiness of her revelation. She feels like laughing, crying, and singing all at once. Her relief is so great that she can't even think, just relax in this new and wonderful state. And when she notices his head turning away, white ears lowering, and remembers that she has yet to give a response, she has no trouble finding her voice.

"I love you, too."

The words come out softly, hovering in the air between them like a tentative smile, almost nonexistent- and yet they have been uttered. And they have been heard. And neither the speaker nor the listener really wants to dispute them, not anymore.

Her cheeks flushed pink, Kagome wants to look away in embarrassment. Her confession has made her feel naked, exposed. She doesn't know how to react, what to do. But her head refuses to turn away, and her chest feels constricted, like she can't breathe. Not until he does something.

A slow, disbelieving smile spreads over his beautiful features (yes, they're beautiful, she thinks, deciding that handsome is simply not a strong enough adjective for the feelings his face evokes in her) as he continues to stare at her. The sight is so wonderful that she can't help but smile in return, forgetting everything but Inuyasha and the warmth he gives her in her heart.

And then, just as she feels that the night so many weeks ago is about to be repeated, first one canine ear and then the other swivels to face back down the forest path. Inuyasha turns to look back, and his smile fades.

"You can hear them, can't you," Kagome says flatly, and inside, her heart clenches with fear for the people she has come to know and care for over the past weeks. Faces flash through her mind, the faces of men that are surely risking their lives and women that will be watching them, frightened for their husbands and brothers and sons. An intense feeling of guilt washes over her. There are people fighting for their lives, for her, even if they don't know it, and here she is, wasting time safe in the forest. "You can hear them fighting."

"Yeah," he answers after a moment. His conflicted expression reflects an internal battle still waging fiercely within him.

The emotion in her heart has not faded, and though she feels the need to return to aid the fighters, she also understands the importance of her next words to her hanyou.

"Inuyasha." _You amazing half-demon, you. _"There's no choice. The villagers need help. We have to go back. _Both _of us." She reaches up an unsure hand to gently touch his cheek. His arms under her back and knees feel strong, unyielding, and yet afraid. "I know... I know you don't want me to get hurt. But I can hold my own. You know I can. And I have to help. I wouldn't feel right if I didn't."

Her arguments are similar to before, but her tone is changed completely- gentle, with underlying urgency, but also softened with love. And it seems to finally have an effect. With relief, she sees Inuyasha nod once, his smile returning halfway at her voice. "I know you wouldn't, Kagome. Maybe that's why..." he trails off, but both of them know how his sentence would have ended. _Maybe that's __why I love you so much._

"So... so you'll take me back?" she asks. He sighs.

"Yeah, let's go, Kagome."

An exhilarating and beautiful feeling, love. It feels freeing and filling for Kagome to admit it to herself at last. And so, despite the conflict she's heading towards, despite the fear and desperation and self-doubt that crouch in the dark corners of her mind, waiting to overcome her, she is able to close her eyes and gather her spiritual energy into a formidable core inside her, content here in Inuyasha's arms as he carries her back to the village by the well.

_~/~/~_

Upon arriving, it is immediately apparent that the situation is everything she'd feared and worse. Kagome is struck dumb by the sheer amount of attacking youkai, having never seen them gathered together in such force before. Her hand reaches up behind her reflexively to touch an arrow in her quiver, and her grip tightens on the smooth wood of her bow. _The Jewel brought all of these here? _she thinks with uncharacteristic panic. _There are so many! _True, they are all lower level, about as hard to fend off as squashing a bug with Kagome's miko abilities, but their massive numbers give them immense strength.

Arrows fly at the enemy from archers stationed a distance away on the ground, and although they bring down an impressive number of the demons for a ragtag defense of village men, the dent they make in the roiling mass of grotesque monsters is almost imperceptible. Kagome winces as she looks out on the number of men lying on the grass, bleeding, some surely dead. The frightened, despairing cries of women and children in the huts behind the bloody field are heartbreaking, as daughters and sons and wives and sisters watch their fathers and husbands and brothers slaughtered by the mindless feeding fury of the youkai.

"Bastards," she hears Inuyasha growl as he sets her down gently on her feet, and silently, with pain in her heart, she agrees.

_This is all my fault. _

With no further hesitation, in one smooth motion, she draws an arrow, pulls back her bowstring, and fires an arrow flaming pink into the fray.

A weary cheer goes up from the men as they watch the missile, with its destructive aura of spiritual energy fanning out wide like an umbrella, wreak havoc among the demons. Briefly, Lady Masuyo, who has been firing off her own spiritual arrows, though not with nearly as much effect, turns and gives Kagome a grim smile.

She seems to stand outside of time, after a while. The minutes drag on into hours, and the hours wear on the bodies of the defendants harshly. Inuyasha is making some headway with Tetsusaiga, and Kagome with her bow, though she is running out of arrows quickly. But it seems hopeless- the demons just keep on coming, another rising up to take the place of every fallen fiend. Lady Masuyo has long since fallen back behind the foremost warriors and archers, devoting her focus and remaining energy to maintaining a spiritual barrier around the elderly and others who cannot fight. Kagome is exhausted, and so are all the men fighting with their swords and bows. _This has to end soon, _she prays desperately. _Please, kami-sama, I beg of you, let it end. _

The Jewel within her is pulsing like a second heartbeat, responding to the enormous demonic aura in the area, and it's as well as shooting up a flare, letting all the youkai know exactly where their prize is. As a result, as the battle wears on, more and more of them begin to target her specifically, and often only Inuyasha's sword in the nick of time saves her neck.

However, not even her hanyou is infallible, a fact of which she is only too aware, and with her ammunition nearly gone, adrenaline is pumping faster through her veins than ever. She fits her second to last arrow to the string and fires, her unerring aim ensuring the damnation of a demon about to kill a group of the villagers, purifying it and countless others surrounding it. Her mind is racing as to how she can be of offensive help without any more arrows when she senses it.

The _youki _of all the individual demons so far has been weak, barely even worth worrying about (if they had been attacking individually, of course). However, the aura that now brushes against her own is dark, sinister, and intense, as if she has ventured upon the evil heart of the horde.

Her eyes scan the mass of insectoid creatures with purpose, searching with a sudden, desperate hope. If she can just sight this one youkai, she has a feeling the rest will dissipate rather quickly.

And then, after Tetsusaiga releases another Kaze no Kizu and vaporizes several more of the demons, she finally sees it. The moment her eyes land on the vermillion spider, positively tiny compared to the rest of its compatriots, she feels the connection with the dark aura rubbing shoulders with her pure core. Letting out a hiss from between furiously clenched teeth, she draws her last arrow. She can swear that the thing locks its beady red eyes with her in that moment, and she thinks if she was closer, she might see it smirk as she aims the pointed tip of the weapon, already fizzling with deadly pink energy. There is an ominous feeling in her gut as she draws the string taut.

_Come on, hit the mark! _

But as soon as the tension is released from her bowstring and her last precious arrow is flying through the air, the evil aura pulses one last time, stronger than ever, and then the red spider melts into the horde, invisible. Her arrow instead strikes a large group of lower level youkai, and although it purifies many, her last strike is not nearly as effective as she had prayed for. Though she casts out her spiritual energy in all directions, frustrated, the spider youkai is not to be found.

_How to defend myself without any arrows? _The question pulses through her mind furiously, demanding her immediate attention as Inuyasha fends off more attackers that would have taken her life for sure. Abandoning her search for the spider, she looks about her, whipping her head in all different directions as she searches for something, anything, to protect herself with.

Then she hears someone shout out her name, and she looks over to the huts holding the women, children and elderly. Lady Masuyo stands just behind the edge of her sparkling pink barrier, waving to Kagome with vigor. One of her hands holds an almost full quiver of arrows. Without a second thought, she begins to sprint over to the other miko, racing to close the distance of a few hundred yards between them.

Though she is a fast runner, the battle has taken its toll on Kagome, and her tired legs struggle to maintain their speed as her breath comes in short, stilted gasps. Her body is worn out, and so when she hears her name called again in desperation from _behind_ her, it takes her a moment to turn her head around in response.

In that moment, time slows. She sees Inuyasha's red-clad form, white hair streaming out behind him as he races towards her, Tetsusaiga raised above his head, panic in his eyes. Nothing makes sense to her weary gaze, until she sees the cat-sized, blood red spider, appeared again out of nowhere, jumping straight for her. Its sadistic gaze pierces her for a split second before the huge pincers of its mouth sink themselves into the soft flesh of her left shoulder, and she screams in pain as dark blood stains the snowy white of her kosode.

She stumbles to her knees as time returns to its normal pace, pressing a shaking hand to her wound. It comes away sticky with brilliant red coating her fingers. She can only stare, fascinated, disbelieving. The world seems to be spinning and tilting around her, and she drops down to lie still on the earth, her lifeblood soaking the grass under her with every beat of her heart. When she raises her eyes, she can see the youkai in front of her, eyes like glittering rubies in its head, shining with malice. As Inuyasha cries out with fury from behind her, the sound of fighting reaches her ears, and she realizes he's held up by other attackers. Her brown eyes cloud over, and a few tears slip down her cheeks from the pain and frustration.

When the spider opens its mouth, black pincers covered in her blood, and speaks, Kagome halfway believes she's hallucinating from the blood loss.

"The Shikon miko," it intones, deep voice soft and malevolent. "We meet at last. You should never have been allowed to possess the Jewel of Four Souls for this long..."

"Begone... greedy monster," Kagome manages to say, voice hoarse. "The Shikon... no Tama... will never be yours." The spider only laughs.

"Won't it, dear _Kagome_? I know exactly where it is. And when I possess it at last, all will know and fear my name... the name of Naraku."

"No," she rasps out, desperate, as the creature moves toward her left side. The Jewel is pulsing louder than ever at its proximity, and her hand moves to press against the skin. She groans when she realizes this requires moving her left shoulder, and she is forced to stay her hand. "No, you can't have it!"

She struggles to move away from the spider with everything she has left. The last thing she remembers before the strain pushes her into unconsciousness is Inuyasha's rage-filled yell and the youkai's eyes widening in apprehension.

_Such pain, such suffering, all for one small, cursed Jewel... what I wouldn't give for it to be gone from this earth forever._

~/~/~

For a boundless, dark forever, Kagome drifts in and out of restless, pain-filled dreams. Her father, both her mothers, her baby brother, her grandfather- the faces of the dead come to comfort and haunt her alternatively, old memories resurfacing in her dreams and nightmares alike. Once, the flames that devoured her home at the shrine eat away at the flesh of her shoulder, only to have Izayoi's face appear moments later and cry tears of healing on the wound, soothing the burns and quieting the stabbing pain.

When her eyes finally open, she is alone, staring up at a dark, cool ceiling. Something wet is laying on her forehead, dripping water into her eyes. She tries to raise her left hand to move the thing, only to find that her arm is bound to her chest and she can't feel it too much. Somehow, in her disoriented mind, she thinks she remembers that being a good thing.

Looking around her, Kagome realizes she's in her own hut, the familiar futon under her and the surroundings of her childhood all about her. The well-known setting comforts her befuddled mind.

Hot. Her body is sweating under the blankets draped over her. Her whole body feels sore and feverish, the bedclothes and her own garments seeming to rub against her skin. She wants to get rid of the uncomfortable heat, but trying to sit up ends in miserable failure, so she just lays there on her back, blinking the sleep from her eyes and waiting for someone to come, trying to remember. Eventually, she does, and several tears leak out of her eyes from the memories of the whole, terrible ordeal. The hours of fighting, running for the arrows... the spider, lunging for her.

"_...when I possess it at last, all will... fear the name of Naraku."_

A shiver of fear and frustration runs up and down her spine as she recalls the spider's words, her right hand balling into a fist. "Naraku," she whispers angrily, the name acid on her tongue. _It... he would have taken the Jewel, would have killed us all..._

_Inuyasha... _His name has the opposite effect on her, and she says it out loud, the small smile on her face growing as she feels the love in her heart expand again. "Inuyasha." Kami, she didn't know it was possible to care for somebody this much.

As if speaking his name aloud had summoned him, Inuyasha appears in the doorway. Kagome feels her consternation and anger melt away at just seeing him. His golden eyes widen in surprise and relief at seeing her open eyes.

"Hey," she grins weakly at his expression. He doesn't say anything, just crosses the room in a few long strides and takes her in his arms, crushing her to his chest.

"Kagome," he murmurs. "I was beginning to think you'd never wake up." Her eyes are wide now, too, surprised and warmed by his spontaneous display. "Masuyo said you would, but still..."

"I'm glad to be awake," she says into his thick white hair, reaching her right arm to embrace him back. He pulls back a little and stares into her eyes. She can feel her heart racing.

Then, he leans forward and kisses her. And the sheer loveliness of it blanks her mind, the wonderful sensation of his warm mouth covering hers the only thing present in her thoughts. After a few seconds, he pulls away, and laughs.

"What?" she asks, breathless still, a smile breaking over her face like a sunrise.

"I've been wanting to do that again for a long time now," is his reply, and she grins as she blushes and ducks her head. He gently lays her back down on the futon. "You've still got a fever, so just stay there and I'll be back. Gotta let the crazy old woman know you're awake."

"Inuyasha!" she protests. "Masuyo-sama isn't even that old! And she's not crazy! She's just... eccentric. Be nice."

"Keh," he rolls his eyes, but the roughness in his tone is all playful. "Glad to see you care about what really matters."

She giggles as he leaves the hut, and even the fever weakening her body and causing her fatigue can't diminish her sudden euphoria.

When he returns, however, she is reminded of how much she's missed. "Inuyasha, how long was I asleep?"

He places the cool cloth back on her forehead and sits back on the floor beside the futon. She turns her head slightly to gaze up into his face. "You were out about a day or so. Turns out that damn spider was poisonous." His face twists into a scowl. "That's why you still have a fever."

"Were you... did you kill it?" she asks anxiously, praying that he was able to.

"Keh, no," is his disappointing response. "Right after it hurt you, a bunch of other youkai came after me and I had to fight 'em off. Then I almost had the thing, but it shot some kinda poison at me and escaped before I could rip its pathetic little head from its body." A growl rumbles from deep in his throat as he stares sullenly at a wall.

Kagome feels an odd sense of foreboding at this news. "What about the rest of them?"

"Once the spider left, so did they," Inuyasha answers, turning back to face her. "It was weird- they all just stopped attacking and went back into the forest, and even though me and some of the other men tried to go chase after 'em, we could never find any trace of where they'd gone."

"Hm..." Kagome muses, her brain struggling to find the missing connection. Her heart sinks, remembering the battlefield filled with wounded men. "How many... how many casualties, Inuyasha?"

He looks down, eyes saddening. "At least ten men killed," he mutters, and Kagome expels a soft breath as if she has sustained a physical blow. "More wounded. I didn't exactly take a body count."

"Was... was Satoru...?" She can't even finish her thought, so grievous is the possibility.

"No," Inuyasha answers quickly, and her sigh this time is in relief. "But he got some pretty nasty wounds on his back. Still, the human wench is pretty happy he made it."

"I imagine she is," she replies absently, losing herself in thought and reaching up to play with a strand of Inuyasha's silvery hair. _Aika... she almost lost her husband. Her child would have grown up fatherless. How many other children will, because of the bloodshed caused by Naraku?_

As if reading her mind, Inuyasha growls low, and her hand drops to the floor again. "We gotta find this Naraku and take care of him. What he did to this village can't be ignored." His righteous anger is visible in the hard line of his brow and the tightness in his jaw. "I helped dig the graves, Kagome." His voice catches on the word _graves_. "So many crying people... no one does that and gets away with it."

Her hand reaches for his and grips it with a surprisingly strong hold. "You're right," she answers, eyes shining. "You're absolutely right." They lapse into a thoughtful silence, never once relinquishing their linked hands. Eventually, Kagome feels her eyelids begin to grow heavy once more, and she begins to give in to the demands of her exhausted, healing body.

"Sleep, Kagome," she hears a familiar voice whisper before she slips away from the conscious world once more, and a gentle touch brushes her cheek.

The days of her recovery are slow, tedious, and yet blissful at the same time. After the first few days, when she is able to sit up and the fever has receded some, Aika comes to visit, and they talk and share laughter and tears for the memories of the fallen men. Masuyo stops by every day to check up on her healing and to give Inuyasha instructions in her care.

Inuyasha is the main reason why the long, otherwise unbearably dull days seem to be a blessing in disguise to the young miko. Every morning, she wakes up to a different bundle of wildflowers laid by the side of her head, and without fail, their giver appears moments later wearing an infectious smile far more catching than any fever. Kagome decides that with her hanyou as her caretaker, she really doesn't mind being sick too much. Especially when he is being so free with his affections (and his kisses).

It is as if, after their confessions the day of the battle, the inu-hanyou has become a different being. At least, around Kagome. His smiles light up his eyes with an indescribable warmth, and he is willing to sit and talk with her all day long while she's stuck inside, sharing funny stories and fond memories. After the first night, she always falls asleep spooned with her back against his chest, one of his arms laid protectively over her.

She firmly believes that it is the genuine love and friendship he gives her that heals her faster than any herbal remedy of Masuyo's. And although neither repeats the sentiments they'd shared for the first time on the forest path, their actions speak with more conviction than any words could ever convey.

After five days, she is able to stand up and walk around without any aid from Inuyasha. On the sixth day, she is outside working in her garden again. And by the time seven days have passed, she's taking short walks in the woods with Inuyasha. On occasion, he takes her up into the branches of Goshinboku with him. (He's discovered this new favorite haunt since they've returned to their old home.) They often sit for long periods of time, talking or just resting in each other's company, watching clouds drift by in the carefree blue summer sky. And every morning, always, another fresh gathering of wildflowers, laid carefully by her head to greet her when she wakes.

He is her best friend and her true love wrapped up in one. And Kagome has never been so happy.

She thinks later that she should have known it couldn't last.

Fourteen sunrises after the horrific battle with Naraku and the other demons, Kagome can almost use her left arm fully again, and the lingering effects of the poison on her immune system are all but gone. So, late one afternoon, as the sun spills its tawny light over the earth like an overflowing golden lake into a reservoir, she decides that it's time to visit the newly-dug graves of those who had died in the struggle two weeks past.

She and Inuyasha leave their hut quietly, reflectively, and begin the brief journey towards the outskirts of the village, the taller of the two leading the way. When they reach the rows of piled up dirt, small stone markers placed in the ground with simple carved characters to represent the names of the deceased, Kagome feels a rush of guilt and sympathy for those lying in the earth. Flowers are placed on many of the graves, and tears come to her eyes as she feels just an echo of the grief and loss they represent to those that have left them there.

Closing her eyes, she focuses on the purity of her core. A gentle wave of her spiritual energy washes over the grave sites, her attempt at blessing the area as repayment for the lives lost. _Kami-sama, take care of their brave souls. Their sacrifice will not be forgotten._

That night, with Inuyasha's warm body lying close, she can't help but feel that nothing is worth the cost of so much human life. _But how to stop it? _she wonders miserably. _As long as the Shikon no Tama exists, it will cause pain and suffering to all those in contact with it. Getting rid of it isn't a feasible option. Purifying it would be nearly impossible... I don't see how it can be done. No one is that selfless. The very essence of human nature is selfish and imperfect. _

In the morning, Inuyasha is gone again, and Kagome takes a moment to wake her body up without opening her eyelids, stretching her arms above her head cautiously, so as not to further pain her sore shoulder. Her sleepy brown eyes open lazily, expecting to see the usual collection of bright blooms in her line of sight.

However, her flowers are absent from their usual place. Her eyebrows furrow in confusion. Sitting up, rubbing the remainder of sleep from her eyes, she looks around the small dwelling, searching for anything else out of place. She finds nothing, but there is an uncomfortable feeling turning her stomach, and suspicion surfaces in her mind.

"Inuyasha?" she calls out, wary, getting dressed and slipping on her sandals. When she receives no response, she decides to head out and find him. Grabbing her bow, she departs, her stride long and quick.

_Something isn't right here._

Her feet almost unconsciously find the path that will take her down to the old well, past Goshinboku and through the wood. Her heart is beating fast, eyes scanning the trees for anything unusual. At first, she can't figure out what is unnatural about the seemingly peaceful early morning setting. Then she hears it.

The birds. All of them have fallen silent. The hair stands up on her arms and shivers run down her spine. "Inuyasha!" she calls out into the sudden emptiness. "Inuyasha, are you out here?" Her voice echoes in the vacuum of soundlessness. She expands her aura out to feel any approaching youkai, frightened now.

At the exact same moment that she feels the awful, familiar _youki, _a voice sounds out from the gloom of the trees beyond her field of vision.

"Kagome."

It's Inuyasha's voice... but gone hard and cold. Her heart chills, and seems to stop in her chest.

"Inuyasha?" Her voice trembles, and she looks around her desperately. "Inuyasha, where are you?"

She just has time to catch sight of predatory red irises before he is standing before her, a horrible, sadistic smile twisting his features, baring his long, razor-sharp fangs. He is so completely unrecognizable from the hanyou she knows and loves that she is struck dumb. Her feet are frozen to the ground, unable to move. Her eyes catch sight of a bundle of beautiful purple and blue long-stemmed blossoms clutched in his fist that fall to the ground, forgotten, as he stalks closer.

"Inu... yasha?"

"Here I am," he says, a dark, mocking undertone to his words, crouching.

And she screams as he lunges for her, claws outstretched and promising her death.

* * *

><p><em>Kikyo- "unchanging love". (I looked up her name online and I also saw something about her being named after a flower... but I saw this definition, and I thought it would have more meaning for Aika.)<em>

_Aika- "love song". (So in this chapter, I wanted to write her story... her love song, if you will. :)_

Author's Note: And you guys thought that battle was the climax. XD

Well, looks like it's been exactly a month since I updated... he, he... forgive me? (: I hate making y'all wait but... well, sometimes I can't help it. Pesky things like school and social events and family vacations get in the way. (As a side note, the first half of this chapter was written in Mississippi and Florida over spring break. Beautiful gulf beaches in Alabama and Pensacola... go, if you get the chance!) I'm actually home miserably sick right now, which is why I can update, so if that doesn't garner any sympathy I'm not sure what will...;)

I hope this satisfies some of you guys who have been asking me if I was ever going to bring Kikyo in. I hope you didn't miss that blatantly obvious foreshadowing... I do have a plan, promise.

As another brief note, I've been getting some questions about what point we're at in the story and where certain characters fit... if this latest chapter didn't answer your questions, please feel free to PM me and I'll be happy to fill you in. If I keep getting questions I'll probably add in a little "timeline" next chapter.

Thanks to my reviewers of Chapter Eleven:

Elantina

MJ

Gina

Miko-sama

Inu-'SIT-loveKag

windbreaking

MariisCa

HelloKittyThong

Shining

Windblownflower

Replies to anonymous reviews can be found on my profile. (:

And now, before I close, a brief suggestion: People, go read Elantina's stuff. It's really, really good. Like, amazing. The things she does with words amaze me. She has just finished her InuKag story "Imminence" and is starting two new fics, called "Misery" and "Footprints of the Shadows". If you actually want to read some quality stuff, go check her out. (:

Thanks for your patience and your reviews!

-Lady E


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

Author's Note: Shelter by Birdy gave me a lot of inspiration for this one.(:

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Thirteen<strong>

When Satoru awakes gasping from a nightmare, the sky is in the in-between time, too early to be late, just dark enough not to be light. The stars are old already in the sky, but the moon still shines bright, nearly full in the fading fabric of the heavens. Sitting up, he runs a hand through his dark hair, his heart still pounding violently in his chest. The erratic beat soon settles into its usual steady rhythm, but an uneasy sensation has settled into his stomach. Something feels _wrong. _

Glancing down to the side, he sees the sleeping form of his wife next to him on their futon. She is lying in the fetal position, her arms wrapped around her middle, cradling the growing child within her tenderly. He gently brushes a strand of hair off of her peaceful face, the disquieting feelings remaining from his restless sleep quieted momentarily by the swell of love within him for his wife and unborn baby.

Though he tries, sleep evades him, and lying there in the stale darkness, a sort of foreboding paranoia begins to gnaw away at his consciousness. He looks sideways at each shifting shadow, halfway expecting malicious monsters to come jumping out at him, and flinches with each susurration of the wind brushing softly past the hut. His nerves are frayed, tingling with anticipation, suspense, fear. The heaviness of the night seems to rub them raw, leaving them exposed and hypersensitive. Something, anything, must happen soon...

He has lain awake for far too long. His heavy eyes beg to close, and an hour earlier perhaps he would have gladly consented- however, with ominous imaginings creeping closer on every side, and the threat of nighttime terrors lurking behind lowered eyelids, he forces himself to remain conscious. He knows that these fears are irrational, unfounded. And yet, they strike a sinister tritone(1) within him that is impossible to silence, bring terrors to the surface that he never knew existed.

Satoru can feel dawn approaching, holds on to the small comfort as he struggles with his tired, illogical brain. Finally able to close his eyes as his exhaustion rises to a new peak, his mind has very nearly drifted off to sleep when a sharp, stinging pain jolts him awake, as if someone has thrust a needle into the back of his neck. Eyes flying open, he utters a soft oath as the pain shoots throughout his whole body.

Sitting up, Satoru reaches up a hand to probe the injury. However, before his fingers are halfway to their destination, he is overcome by a spell of dizziness. Lying down once more, he fails to feel the small, disgusting body of the red-eyed spider perched behind his neck, extricating needle-like fangs from his flesh. The spider smirks as the poison begins to spread throughout the man's body, arteries, veins, and capillaries performing their duty diligently towards the malicious creature's end.

_Soon_, he promises himself, watching the man's transformation with unmasked anticipation. _Soon._

~/~/~

Kagome feels the terrible bite of his claws sinking deep into the soft flesh of her side, piercing through the layers of cloth, skin, fat and muscle as easily as if they were slicing into an apple. She sees the bloodlust in his bright red eyes, the drive for violence, the acute need for the Jewel which resides in her body. She tastes the blood in her mouth- perhaps she has bitten her lip in fear?- and the salty tears which run down her face in anguish, and she hears her own whimpers and cries of agony and heartbreak, as well as the pleasured growls from his chest as he rips her heart out of her body with the Shikon no Tama.

However, she can't believe that it's really happening. In this moment, all her miko training and years of experience are torn away, and she is that little girl again, the one who ran out of her burning home and into another world, who waited and waited for her mother in vain. That little girl, who stood crying in the ashes as her family lay underground, full of grief and very much alone. That broken little girl, who one lonely little boy managed to put back together again.

And now, after everything, he's torn her apart once more, in a nightmarish twist of fate, and she can't do anything but stand there and cry as it happens- just like all those years ago.

She watches through eyes blurred with pain and tears as he holds his hand stained with her blood out in front of him in wonder, the comparatively tiny gem resting in his impure palm as the egg of some monstrous hell-creature might lie in the claws of its sire. It's the first time she's ever seen it, and she has to admit that were it not for the grisly, bright red still coating the smooth surface, it might actually be quite beautiful. What looks to be smoke is swirling inside the Jewel, a pink so light it may as well be white, and it glows with purity through its sanguinary covering. However, as she watches, the color inside the orb turns the deep purple of a bruise. His vermillion eyes watch the change with morbid fascination.

And all of a sudden, Kagome can't contain her horror. She lets out a scream, sinking to the ground with her hands pressed to the wound in her side. Her eyes squeeze shut, blocking out the world. She can't bear to look at him anymore, can't bear to see the sadistic satisfaction in his eyes as he watches her suffer. He seems to take notice of her after this, and she hears his footsteps as they crunch the dead leaves, slowly and inexorably coming near.

"_Kagome." _He draws out her name unbearably. A broken sob comes from her chest in response to his cold, mocking tone. Reaching down, he slips his clawed fingers under her chin, forcing her face up to stare into his. His expression is dark and promises more pain. Her soul seems to flinch, and tears run down her face shamelessly.

"Who are you?" she whispers hoarsely. _You are not the one I love. You cannot be the one I love. _Her heart cries as he laughs.

"Who am I?" A smile bares his sharp canines, and for the first time, Kagome knows true fear. "I am the one who has stolen your life away, _Kagome. _I am the one they called lowly hanyou, the one they scorned. Well, who will dare to scorn me, now that I possess the Shikon no Tama?" He is bitter now, as he lifts a hand to caress her cheek. Then, she is reeling backwards as his other hand makes contact with her cheek, the _crack! _of flesh hitting flesh echoing through the silence.

She lies motionless, stunned, on the dirt and debris of the forest floor as her tormentor scoffs above her in dark triumph. She can do nothing as he taunts her, nothing as he breaks her heart.

"You really thought I loved you? Ha! Fool," he spits at her. "_I had no desire whatsoever to be with you."_

Kagome cannot help her gasp. Her words pour out of her like her tears- uncontrollable and filled with disbelief. "B-but... but you told me... you- you lov-"

"You of all people should know that the Jewel becomes powerful with pain and suffering," he replies, and her horror grows with each word. "From a very long time ago, I knew that _you_ were my path to the Shikon. I considered just taking it a long time ago... it would have been so _easy, _you trusted me so... but then I couldn't resist the irony. Using the Shikon miko's heartbreak to taint the very jewel she was supposed to keep pure? Priceless."

"_Inuyasha!" _She can't hear any more, can't take any more of this terrible betrayal. It's awful, she knows it is, but she doesn't care about the Jewel any longer, not about the people he will slaughter or her sacred duty to keep it pure. In this moment, she is not Kagome the miko but Kagome the woman, and she can't feel anything but her own heart shattering.

"So I'll take the Jewel now, thanks," he smirks as he walks away, leaving her prostrate on the ground. Her blood drips from his hands, leaving a trail behind him as he makes his way leisurely back into the trees. "I appreciate the pain you've worked so hard to put into it. It's about to absorb a great deal more when I use it to slaughter the villagers, and then finally to make myself into a full-blooded youkai."

"_No!" _she cries out, reaching desperately after him. "You traitor!_ I loved you_!"

But he doesn't answer her, doesn't even spare a backwards glance, and she is left to cry there in the dirt and leaves, very much alone. In her mind, Kagome feels such an anger build up out of her pain as to rend her body in two.

_I hate you! _

Her wounds burn with a passion, her insides aching to scream out the venomous phrase.

_I hate you! _

Her mouth opens to form the words, to throw them at his retreating back, the last weapons she possesses.

However, the love in her heart for him, even now, protests against such a sentiment. Her love remains, though his quite obviously does not- if it ever existed at all, she thinks sadly. So instead, her mouth closes, and she lets her anger pour out with her tears as he disappears into the trees.

_Why can't I hate you, Inuyasha? Why can't I stop this love I feel for you, when you've been leading me on this whole time? Why does my heart still call out for yours?_

An interminable amount of time is spent there, going over and over their confrontation, dealing with the deep throbbing pain of her wound. Eventually, however, she realizes that not only does she need medical attention, but that no one knows she is out in the forest, alone and bleeding profusely. _And the village is about to be attacked, _she thinks grimly. _Aika and Satoru... Masuyo-sama... I have to come and help you. _

And so it is with a heavy heart that Kagome struggles to her feet and begins to fight against her injured body, making her way back home.

_Inuyasha... Why can't I let you go?_

~/~/~

"Inuyasha... Inuyasha..." Kagome's voice rouses him just before dawn. He opens his eyes and feels the warmth of her slender body against his chest, her heart beating close to his. He can hear it, steady and slow, a drum beating rhythmically in time with her breath that ghosts over his skin with the delicate brush of butterfly wings. A rare, unguarded smile touches his features as he looks at her peaceful expression and listens to her murmur his name into the quiet air. _Beautiful._

He gently rises, careful not to wake her, and presses a light kiss to the top of her head before donning his fire-rat haori and leaving the silent hut. His bare feet carry him into a run, making for the nearby forest. He is nearly flying through the woods, moving with the ease and confidence that accompanies one acquainted with the trees, and soon, just as the sun has cast its first rays of light into the sky, he arrives at his destination.

The meadow has changed little in the decades they've been gone. Nearly a century and a half has passed since he first set foot in this clearing in the trees, and yet the same colorful wildflowers still wave gently in the wind with the long grasses. The same well stands slightly off-center, if perhaps slightly more weather-beaten than before. A white butterfly softly beats the air with its wings, alighting briefly on the edge of the worn wooden structure before taking off and disappearing into the flowers once more.

He has come here every morning of Kagome's recovery. He would never admit to it, but gathering the different wildflowers for her is as beneficial to her recovery as it is to his peace of mind. The quiet birdsong and stillness in the fresh air wakes his senses and seems to revitalize his body as nothing else but a good fight does.

Briefly, as he reaches down to pull up a bunch of long-stemmed blooms, he wonders what his life would be like if he had never come here that early morning so long ago, to find the frightened little girl that has grown into the strongest and most courageous woman he has ever known. He shudders at the bleakness, the loneliness of the suggested existence. No, a life without Kagome is inconceivable to him now. She has taught him to smile through his tears, to never cut himself off from the world because of the prejudiced and cruel, because there is so much more to life than simply those who hate him.

Hanyou are not meant to be loved, or accepted, or cherished, and he knows it. They have an effect of fear and distrust that is near-impossible to overcome, and they are sure to encounter hostility and bigotry wherever they travel, from youkai and humans alike. Inuyasha knows all this, and sometimes he feels guilty for bringing the unavoidable stigma of the half-demon upon Kagome. However, whenever his mind slips into dark thoughts like these, her face will light up with a bright, radiant smile, breaking like the dawn across her fair features, and she will laugh her ringing, teasing laugh, the sound bell-like and content; and the knowledge that she is happy, to be with him, by his side, alleviates the shame and self-loathing and fills him with confidence and gratefulness. Because she loves him, and that is more than enough.

He reflects on all this as he easily selects the flowers, today violet and azure, that he knows will wake her with the beautiful smile that he loves. He is so uncharacteristically lost in thought, caught up in memories of Kagome, her companionship and kisses and unconditional love, that he misses how the stillness of the morning suddenly becomes stifling. And how the quiet brilliance of the sunlight filtering through the trees on the edge of the clearing shifts, takes on a shadowy character. And how the telltale traces of a malignant aura begin to brush against his own.

But he does notice when the birds stop singing. All of them at once, as if they had never raised their voices in the first place. The ensuing silence is eerie, uncomfortable. It is as if the music has shifted to a minor key, leaving him tense and on his guard. His left hand clenches the flowers tightly, nearly crushing them, and his right moves slowly towards his left hip, only to find that the familiar weight of Tetsusaiga is absent. Silently, he curses his thoughtlessness.

A quiet sound attracts his attention, and he quickly turns, tossing the flowers aside and lowering into a crouch, scanning the line of trees for assailants. He is rewarded with a small rabbit rocketing out of the underbrush and speeding away from him in terror. Placated, he turns and is about to head back to the hut when an abrupt, piercing scream, though faint, stops him in his tracks.

A sudden scent overwhelms his sensitive nose, a scent so offensive and enraging that he is momentarily overcome, his vision taking on a reddish tint. The smell of Kagome's blood taints the clean air of the woods, the breeze diffusing the sickly sweet scent, carrying it to him. His heart begins to speed up, blood pounding in his ears, adrenaline shooting into his veins and spreading throughout his body as the demon within him growls its fury. _Mate, _it spits out, threatening to overtake his mind completely, and Inuyasha has to fight for control. _She must not be harmed._

He takes off in the general direction of the scream and the blood, legs carrying him fast through the forest. He hunts for her attacker with a rage unlike any he has felt before, desperate to ascertain her condition. _Protect, _his inner demon snarls. He can feel it struggling for freedom, freedom to release his furor onto the forest, freedom to track down the source of Kagome's pain and rip it limb from limb. But he also feels the unbearable helplessness that comes with not knowing, not seeing. Outwardly, he appears as a ferocious demon- inwardly, he is a whimpering puppy, whining in shame and anxiety over its master.

Inuyasha is nearly upon it when he senses it, and it catches him completely off guard. A pulsing, resonating deep inside his chest cavity, calling. Begging. Tempting. The only thing that could possibly take the mind of his demon away from its mate in sentiment, if not body.

_Shikon... no Tama..._

He recognizes it immediately, though he has never before truly laid eyes on it. The small, luminous orb lies on the forest floor, among the dead leaves and insects, insignificant in size but massive in power. A thin film of blood mars its flawless surface, but does not distort the dark, stormy smoke that appears to swirl inside the gem. Momentarily, he is mesmerized.

Then, he realizes the implications of what he is seeing. And again has to wrestle for dominance against the youkai inside.

_Why is the Jewel outside of Kagome? Where is she? Who has done this?_

The answers to his questions elude him. However, he does know one thing- the Shikon no Tama must be returned to the miko as soon as possible. Already, instinctively, he knows that it should not be dark like this. And the blood traces still evident on the Jewel spur him into action. He reaches down and closes his fingers over the small artifact, shuddering with the intensity of the energy that flows within him as he does, and begins to run once more.

_Hold on Kagome, _he thinks grimly, acutely aware that that with each passing moment in his possession, the lure of the Jewel is becoming harder to resist, and the color inside is darkening even further, losing the remainder of its pure light in favor of a more insidious purple. _Just wait for me. I'm coming._

_~/~/~_

Aika stares at the blood-soaked girl in front of her and fights down tears as she quickly wraps bandages around her torso. "Kagome," she breathes, horrified at her wounds. "What _did_ this to you?"

The miko is breathing heavily in front of her, using all of her strength just to sit up. How she made it to her hut from the forest is beyond Aika. She gives no answer, just looks away as her friend finishes tying the long white strips of cloth around her side. They are already beginning to stain with red blood.

"Where is Satoru?" she asks instead, tears still gently falling from her eyes, as they have been since Aika found her on her way into the village, though admittedly with less force.

"I... actually don't know," she admits as she pulls back and the miko shrugs back into her ruined clothing. "He was gone when I woke up and I was going to look for him when I found you."

Kagome then stands, letting out a hiss immediately and pressing a hand to her wound. Aika moves to get her to sit back down on the futon, but she is waved away. "I'm fine," Kagome assures her in a heavy voice. "I have to go. Thank you for your help."

"Kagome! Where on earth could you possibly need to go right now?" Aika is bewildered at her friend's dark expression and strange wounds. _They look like some wild animal ripped into her..._ A terrible thought hits her, one so repulsive that she shudders away from it at first. She had just assumed she'd gotten into a fight with a youkai and taken some casualties at first... but now...

Kagome meets her eyes, and in them Aika sees a deep, soul-shattering grief. "Please, Aika-chan. Trust me. People will die if I do not leave now. _I am honestly surprised I don't hear screams already,_" she mutters under her breath, seemingly not for her friend's ears. She turns to leave the hut, reaching for her bow and arrows from beside the door.

"Kagome-chan..." Aika hesitates, for the very notion is so terrible that she has trouble even entertaining it. _But she has to know._ "Did... did Inuyasha do this to you?"

Kagome stops in her tracks, as if she's been slapped. Aika sucks in a breath at her reaction. Her friend's head looks down, and the young woman walks up to her and puts her arms around her. "Oh, Kagome," she murmurs, feeling the miko begin to sob once more.

"He will answer for his crimes," Kagome says after a moment, beginning to walk again, steadied on the arm of her friend, her bow clenched in a fist. "He has stolen the Shikon no Tama, and he plans to slaughter this village with it." Aika feels her horror grow with each word, and her disbelief.

"But Inuyasha would never do such a thing!" she protests. She feels another shudder run through the girl at her side.

"The Inuyasha we knew... is gone," Kagome replies, haunted eyes looking out from under her messy bangs, and Aika falls silent, feeling her whole body chill at the implications in those words.

After another few moments, Kagome shrugs out from under Aika's supporting hold. She looks at the miko, surprised. "Kagome? What are you doing?"

"I need to go forward alone," she responds, her expression resolute. "You don't need to get hurt. I'm not dragging _two _innocent lives into this." And she looks pointedly at her friend's abdomen.

"But you're injured!" she protests, gesturing to the bandages halfway hidden by her clothing. "You can't do this by yourself, Kagome."

Brown eyes meet brown, and Aika still sees the tears Kagome has failed to keep hidden. "I can and I will," she answers, voice strong despite the evidence of sorrow running down her cheeks. "You have to let me do this, Aika."

The girl sighs, but realizes the importance of keeping her child safe. _After all, I don't know what I'd do if I were to lose you, little one. Though I hate the idea of Kagome doing this alone... she'll never give in._

"Where are you going?" she asks, her tone more resigned now that she has realized the other woman's resolve.

"Goshinboku," she says simply, her face hardening. "One should always start at the beginning, ne?"

~/~/~

When Satoru comes back to himself, he is lying on his back in the grass. The sun has already risen in the sky, and tree branches wave in the wind above his head. He sits up, startled by the sudden change of scenery. His hand reaches back to his neck, and he winces as his fingers probe a small injury there at the base of his skull.

"What happened?" he wonders aloud, gazing around. The village is not far away, really, and he realizes that he's sitting under the tree Goshinboku. Standing, he stretches muscles that are strangely sore. As he reaches his hands in front of him, he freezes in horror.

His hands are covered in dried blood. It's caked all over his fingers and under the nails, and streaks of red are painted all the way down his forearms. He staggers back at this sight, disbelieving his own eyes. He frantically searches his own body for wounds, but besides the small pain at the back of his neck, he is completely unharmed.

_So... this is someone else's blood? _He concludes, repulsed by the awful possibility. The sunlight, so welcoming just a moment ago, suddenly seems garish and much too bright.

As he stands there contemplating his situation, he is startled out of his thoughts when a familiar voice calls out his name.

"Satoru?"

"Aika!" he calls back, filled with relief to hear that his wife has been searching for him. She comes into sight quickly, her brown eyes full of relief.

"I've found you!" she cries, throwing her arms around him. He avoids returning the embrace, conscious of his blood-covered arms. "Where on earth have you been?"

"I'm... I'm not too sure," he says, dazed. He wonders why she has made no comment on his wild appearance. "I just woke up a moment ago."

"Well, all that matters is that you're safe, right?" she replies, smiling. Her smile is irresistible- he has to return it, and a grin breaks over his own features.

"Yes, I suppose so." He pushes down thoughts of his possible homicide as he leans down to kiss his beautiful wife, his eyes closing.

He doesn't see her eyes flash an insidious red as his lips meet hers.

_~/~/~_

Inuyasha runs so fast as to be flying, the Jewel clutched tight in his fist. He is following the scent of blood, resisting the pull of his demon side and the Shikon with every step. It's the hardest thing he's ever had to do, keeping control like this- but he'll do it.

_For her. _

He doesn't think he's ever really realized how much he loves her until today, when her life is threatened and the future he'd envisioned for them has the possibility of going up in smoke. His heart aches, considering really for the first time what it would be like to lose not only his love, but his best friend, the one who knows him better than anyone else in the world, even his mother, when she was alive. The one person who accepts him for who he is, the one human who would be willing to stay with a hanyou, despite the discrimination and inherent danger.

He pictures this... and pictures watching her die... and his legs move yet faster underneath him.

_Not an option._

Finally, after what seems a few-minute eternity of worst-case scenarios and fighting down his youkai blood, he sees a sign of hope- Goshinboku. The old, steady tree is up ahead, and he leaps into one of the surrounding treetops to see if Kagome is anywhere nearby. _She's always felt safe here, _he remembers, thinking back to childhood memories. _I hope she really is._

Peering down through the branches, though his youkai half protests against being so still while a threat has still not been resolved, he searches the area around the great tree with all his senses. She's close- that much he's sure of. He can still smell the blood from her wounds.

Casting his eyes around, he catches sight of two silhouettes just underneath the God Tree. Leaping down again, he quickly walks forward, the scent of Kagome stronger than ever. His heart pounding with anticipation and worry, he rounds the trunk of the tree.

The sight which meets his eyes shatters him completely. His control slips, and the youkai inside him howls its grief. His eyes turn a ghoulish red, jagged purple stripes cutting cruelly across his cheekbones as his canines lengthen. The Shikon no Tama is forgotten in his rage, though it still remains in one clenched fist.

And the man- a familiar man, he really should remember who he is, a small part of him says- breaks away from kissing the dark-haired girl at the snarling sounds of the hanyou. His eyes widen in fear, his arms covered with her blood- _threat to mate, _his demon concludes, growling. "I-Inuyasha?" he says in disbelief.

The girl beside him does nothing for a long moment. Then, a slow smirk draws across her familiar features. "Oh, poor Inuyasha," she murmurs, but his keen ears catch every word. "Are you angry with me? I can't imagine why... after all, who could possibly truly love a hanyou?" The man is staring at her now, confusion written all over his features, though the trembling, furious half dog-demon doesn't pay any mind.

Inuyasha feels her words pierce him like arrows, and even though his youkai blood has come to the surface, he feels a whine in the back of his throat, as he processes this. _Mate... has betrayed us? Unfaithful... disloyal... _

"I needed more than you," the girl continues. "Were you really so stupid, Inuyasha? Did you truly expect that I wanted to be with you?"

He is already beyond rage. Inuyasha is hurting, and his demon is ready to lash out. The man's next words to the raven haired beauty seal his fate- really, he had no chance to begin with.

"Love? Aik-"

His sentence is cut off by a yell as Inuyasha snarls and rushes at the man who would dare call HIS intended "love". His claws are raised high, ready to rip the human apart, when another cry stops him short.

"INUYASHA!"

And he whirls around to see-

_Kagome?_

She is standing tall on the shrine steps leading down to the forest, an arrow fitted to her bowstring and blood soaking her bandages and ripped haori. And the tip of the arrow is pointed straight at his heart.

"Don't take another step," she calls out, and he can smell her tears even from this distance. The wind ruffles her long black hair that she still refuses to tie back, even now.

Through his youkai-crazed mind, Inuyasha struggles to understand. Looking beside the human, there is one Kagome- and looking back up at the steps, there is another. He can't comprehend, and the shock is enough for him to regain control of his youkai blood. The stripes fade slowly from his face, and he blinks rapidly as his eyes return to their normal amber. However, the hurt at the girl with Kagome's face kissing another man still remains.

"K-Kagome?" he calls back, desperately trying to understand. She makes no reply, and the arrow stays unwaveringly aimed towards him.

"I loved you." The wind carries her spoken words to him, her voice breaking halfway through, though he doesn't understand what she means by them. However, her past tense gives him a sense of foreboding.

And then, there is a timeless moment, one in which Inuyasha senses a turning point. The air is charged with anticipation, his breath catching in his chest. His heart is pounding fast, adrenaline flowing through his bloodstream; and for just this moment, he almost feels as if he can hear her heart as well, beating in tandem with his. Over the distance, somehow, their eyes lock. And then Inuyasha feels something click, and a strange sense of peace settles in his spirit.

She releases her arrow, and Inuyasha, with all his fast reflexes and superhuman reaction time, does nothing but freeze as he watches it fly towards its intended target.

~/~/~

* * *

><p>(1) tritone: this is just my inner musical nerd coming out;) you can skip this if you'd like. Historically known as "diabolus in musica" or "the devil in music", the tritone is a dissonant chord that was basically thought to be Satanic in the Middle Ages. Composers didn't use it in their music (partly because of the pressures of society- think the Salem "witches", if you're wanting an idea of the attitude towards the tritone) because it sounded too demonic (see what I did there?;) Pretty much, it symbolizes evil in Western music- although it sounds really cool to me. ;) I just thought it was good imagery.<p>

All right, little music lesson over. **If you'd like to hear it, look up "Tritone" on Wikipedia and scroll down to Historical Uses**. There should be a little music player thing on the right side.

Author's Note: I've been over and over this chapter so many times it's ridiculous. First of all, I wrote it in many sporadic chunks (sometimes only a few sentences at a time) over the past two months. I also had to scrap the first version after a lovely, God-sent stroke of inspiration one rainy afternoon a few weeks ago. Then, I basically split the plot for the chapter in half, mainly to update faster, but it helped the continuity, too, I think.

I finally finished it Thursday, actually, but I waited another day for a second opinion (thank you Elantina;) and then I've not been home enough to update until today. I finally threw my hands up and decided to post it now instead of editing again, because, frankly, y'all have waited long enough. I think this is the longest gap in updating I've ever had. Sigh.

As a side note, right now we are at 98 reviews(: nearly to 100 guys! WOW! I can't believe it! I'm so glad y'all are liking this story... after reading many others and looking back at my own, I can't help but think it's a little elementary. But as long as you enjoy it I guess it's okay. ;) That's the whole point of posting fanfiction, right? For other people to enjoy and help you get better?

Thank you to my reviewers of Chapter 12:

Elantina; **Shining**; **Windblownflower**; Inu-'SIT'-loveKag; MariisCa; Miko-sama; Gina; life; MJ; **Georgia**; Lilax; SilverStella; **xXCheetoQueenXx**; Kagome39. (Those in bold have review replies on my profile)

I apologize for the long Author's Note. :( I didn't mean to I swear! And to all of you,** I am so so so sorry** for leaving you on a two-month long cliffhanger. But my spring was just a writer's nightmare. _(In the interest of brevity, check my profile if you want the scoop on my next update. You might want to read this, guys... it's not good news.)_

Thank you all for reading. I hope you've enjoyed, and do drop a review, if you wouldn't mind? As always, it would make my day(:

-Lady E


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

Author's Note: I know, I know... last update was June 16th... and it's now November 3... I'm a terrible person. I really am. If you need a reminder, briefly, this is the story where Kagome fell down the well as a little girl and grew up with Inuyasha. I left y'all on kind of a really mean cliffhanger... I'm so sorry! Read at the bottom for my explanation. I hope you can forgive me and continue to enjoy this story.

(I'm giving you a bit of the end of the last chapter as a reminder before the chapter begins, due to the long wait. Again, so sorry!)

* * *

><p><em>She is standing tall on the shrine steps leading down to the forest, an arrow fitted to her bowstring and blood soaking her bandages and ripped haori. And the tip of the arrow is pointed straight at his heart.<em>

_"Don't take another step," she calls out, and he can smell her tears even from this distance. The wind ruffles her long black hair that she still refuses to tie back, even now._

_Through his youkai-crazed mind, Inuyasha struggles to understand. Looking beside the human, there is one Kagome- and looking back up at the steps, there is another. He can't comprehend, and the shock is enough for him to regain control of his youkai blood. The stripes fade slowly from his face, and he blinks rapidly as his eyes return to their normal amber. However, the hurt at the girl with Kagome's face kissing another man still remains._

_"K-Kagome?" he calls back, desperately trying to understand. She makes no reply, and the arrow stays unwaveringly aimed towards him._

_"I loved you." The wind carries her spoken words to him, her voice breaking halfway through, though he doesn't understand what she means by them. However, her past tense gives him a sense of foreboding._

_And then, there is a timeless moment, one in which Inuyasha senses a turning point. The air is charged with anticipation, his breath catching in his chest. His heart is pounding fast, adrenaline flowing through his bloodstream; and for just this moment, he almost feels as if he can hear her heart as well, beating in tandem with his. Over the distance, somehow, their eyes lock. And then Inuyasha feels something click, and a strange sense of peace settles in his spirit._

_She releases her arrow, and Inuyasha, with all his fast reflexes and superhuman reaction time, does nothing but freeze as he watches it fly towards its intended target._

_~/~/~  
><em>

**Chapter Fourteen**

Kagome has always been strong.

Orphaned at seven years old and forced into a different reality, with only near-strangers for support and shelter, at first she'd had no other choice but to step up and be more self-reliant. Through her tears, her heart has grown stronger against the tragedy of loss, and she's learned how to pick herself back up after enduring grief that sends her down to her knees.

And so she makes her way to the edge of the village alone, though she can feel that her wounds are far worse than Aika had guessed. Each step brings her agony, and she wonders if her life will leave her before she finishes what she's set out to do. Still she stands tall despite the blood soaking through her bandages and staining the white of her haori yet further, admittedly limping but never faltering in her resolve. She makes her way down the long, white stone steps as quickly as her body will allow her, heading down towards the tree where she can almost feel he will be.

_Why hasn't he attacked the village yet? _The thought burns through her mind, bothering her. _He has no reason to wait. _

Suddenly, she stops, and her body is held still with surprise. There are indeed two figures at the base of Goshinboku- but neither of them is Inuyasha. They are kissing, wrapped tightly in an embrace that makes Kagome almost want to turn away in respect to their privacy. However, the girl looks strangely familiar to her.

Her long, raven-black hair is unbound, flowing down her back freely. She stands a bit shorter than the man, whose arms are wrapped around her waist. Kagome walks down another set of steps, trying to get a closer look, her curiosity piqued by this girl.

And then, a loud, furious snarl rips through the peaceful morning air, and the couple breaks apart, startled. Kagome's body tenses at the familiar sound. _So, he is here after all. _However, Inuyasha is full-youkai, a side of him Kagome has rarely seen. _Does he not have Tetsusaiga? He has not transformed like this since we were adolescents. _Her expression grows dark. _He must have discarded it as a hanyou weakness, since as a full-blooded youkai he cannot wield it._

However, she is distracted from her thoughts when the man turns towards her, and she is able to see his face. She gasps in shock- even from here, his features are unmistakable.

_Satoru? But... but that woman cannot be Aika. I just _left_ Aika, and anyway this woman does not bear any resemblance! What is he doing?_

Her confusion is only intensified when the woman begins to speak to Inuyasha. Her voice is too soft for Kagome to hear her words, but Inuyasha's countenance speaks for her. His fury is growing quickly, and soon it will be too much for him to contain. She can't imagine what is staying his hand now, actually.

_Is she stupid? What is she doing, provoking him? And what on earth could possibly have gotten him this upset? He's going to kill them both! His questionable marital fidelity aside, I cannot allow Satoru to die. I... I suppose this is it._

With all the stamina left in her injured body, Kagome lifts her bow and draws an arrow from the quiver at her back. Despite everything, her arms remain steady. Her hurt and despair has settled into a deep ache in her heart, leaving her with a sense of stillness inside. The very air seems frozen in time as she gazes down the shaft of her arrow, fitting it to the string with a sense of finality.

And then, she watches as the love of her life begins to rush towards her friend's husband with death in his claws, and she can be still no longer.

"INUYASHA!"

She will perhaps never know what made her call his name, instead of loosing her arrow. Her voice rings out across the distance, strong and absolute. Tears are burning in her eyes, but she forces them back, focusing on the furious youkai in her sights who has suddenly stopped and turned towards her.

"Don't take another step," she warns, his feral appearance giving her great sorrow. _For even now, I love you still... you were never meant to be this way, Inuyasha. _

She watches the fight go out of him as he transforms back, his eyes golden once more as he stares up at her in confusion.

"K-Kagome?" he calls out in shock.

In her name, she hears emotion. In the tone of his voice, she can almost pretend that he really cares for her. It breaks her heart all over again, and she begins to cry in earnest, letting the tears fall as she remembers all the years she spent with him.

_We did everything together... at what point did things change? Was it when Mother died? When we were growing up, in Sayuri-sama's village? Or when we learned about the Jewel? When did caring for me become a front, a facade? _A terrible thought occurs to her. _Did... did he ever really fall in love with me at all?_

"I loved you," she whispers, voice breaking hoarsely at the past tense in her words. The memory of his palm cracking against her cheek aches painfully.

Images flash through her mind, one after another- holding on to him for dear life as the sky cried over her dead family; playing together in the autumn leaves and winter snow; clutching his hand as they watched Izayoi slip into death; waking up that first night from a terrible dream and crawling under his blanket with him; walking with him on those long days on the road; catching sight of him staring at her training with the bow from up in a tree. Kissing him on that moonless night, and all the times since. Confessing their love in the forest as youkai attacked their home.

"_Because I love you, dammit!" _

Over the distance, her brown eyes lock with his golden ones. Her battered heart and her broken body both cry out with longing, and she can swear she still sees the ghost of love in his gaze.

And just like that, with that tiny, miniscule memory of a hope, her resolve is broken.

Though her bowstring is taut and her arrow ready to fly, she cannot bear to release it. He is her childhood companion, her best friend.

She loves him.

Her decision made, her mind clears, and time seems to slow. She looks down at the hanyou- her hanyou- with new eyes; eyes that see his grief-stricken expression, that finally process his astonishment and worry at her current position. Eyes that look him up and down and see no trace of blood... and then look to his left, at Satoru, and notice his red-covered forearms. And then her eyes fall upon the human girl, who she notices is smirking, and realizes that she could well be looking in a mirror.

Kagome finally allows herself to _see- _and what she sees is a terrible deception. Something is horribly, impossibly wrong.

Something red behind the woman's neck catches her eye. It is tiny, barely visible to the miko's eyes. However, at the same moment, she feels the terribly familiar demonic aura brush against her senses, and in that instant, she understands.

She knows what she has to do. _Kami-sama, give me strength._

With a sense of finality in her heart, she lets the arrow fly, flaming pink-

-_past_ Inuyasha-

-and into the neck of the woman who wears her face.

She watches as if in a dream as the deadly tip enters pale flesh, the woman too startled to move out of the way. It is as if the world has been dipped in blood as she watches the scene play out. Crimson mars snowy skin, red like the rising sun, spattering messily over flesh and cloth. Colorless eyes widen in shock, smirk dropping from carmine lips as they open wide, as if to cry out, but no sound is forthcoming. The vermillion spider removes its fangs from her damaged body in vain. The arrow tip is relentless, piercing all the way through her neck and into the body of the small youkai, skewering it.

A bright light emerges, and after another moment, the spider Naraku is no more. The woman's body dissipates in the light as well, breaking into unrecognizable pieces which are purified on the spot. At this, the miko feels both great relief and staggering fatigue. Her bow drops to the ground, forgotten, and the quiver of arrows falls from her shoulder.

Swaying on her feet, she presses a hand to her side, and her fingers come away sticky. _More red... is that blood? _She can't seem to think straight, and her thoughts swirl around each other, muddled and incoherent. She hears shouting, someone crying her name once more as she drops to her knees, weary and drained. Her long black hair falls around her like spilled ink, dirty and tangled, hiding the world from her eyes. Her mind is cloudy with pain, but still she recognizes the red-clad figure that comes running headlong up the stone steps, lips forming her name in desperation. She feels secure in the arms that wrap around her, lifting her from the ground and enveloping her in warmth and love.

"Inuyasha," she murmurs, eyes closing."I should have... should have known... better."

"Kagome, don't fall asleep," he shakes her roughly, and her lids open unwillingly to stare back up at him, caught unexpectedly in the depths of his ocher eyes. She smiles, for despite the fact that her injuries could well bring death, she knows now in her heart that it is not death by _his _hands. And this is enough.

"I love you." She cannot stop the smile from breaking over her features like the dawn. "Thank you, Inuyasha."

He buries his face into her shoulder, and she can feel him inhaling her scent. "You're not going to die," he tells her fiercely. "You're going to live or I will never forgive you, damn it."

She just lets out a sigh as he carries her quickly back to the village, struggling to keep her eyes open as she knows she should. He takes her back to their hut, laying her down gently on the futon and brushing her hair back from her face.

"I'm going to find the old woman," he says, panic lacing his voice. "Here- take this." And he presses something small, round and slippery into her palm.

"The Shikon no Tama," she whispers, and something in her voice stops him short on his way out the door. She holds it up as they both watch the deep purple smoke swirling inside begin to move faster at her touch. He shields his eyes as it changes rapidly to light pink and then to an almost blinding white light, the purification of the evil aura tangible in the small dwelling. But Kagome never looks away, hypnotized by the sight of the artifact which has determined the path of her life for so long now.

Inuyasha looks down sadly at her broken body, his nose overwhelmed by the scent of her blood. His heart squeezes painfully as he is overcome with the knowledge that he has failed in protecting her. He takes her in his arms one last time, pressing her to his chest desperately, before laying her back down gently and running out the door so fast he is only a silver blur to her eyes. After he leaves, Kagome's eyes are overcome with heaviness, and her heartbeat begins to slow. Against her will, the world grows dim and then dark, the Shikon no Tama slipping from her grip and landing softly on the futon beside her. Her breaths are nearly imperceptible, her worn out body shutting down.

In her unconsciousness, her lips fall open as if to speak, but no words emerge. When Masuyo-sama enters the hut a scant minute later, Inuyasha close on her heels, she finds the young miko in this position; curled in on herself, hand laying near the softly glowing jewel, lips wrapped around the silent shape of the hanyou's name.

She wastes no time on shock or horror at the girl's condition, instead immediately setting to work on maintaining her slowing heartbeat.

_You cannot die, young one, _she thinks sadly, feeling the half-demon's wordless desperation as he intently watches her motions. _You have too much to live for._

~/~/~

Kagome's dreams are of pain and heartbreak, her body soaked in blood and then baptized in an ocean of amber, coming up silver and pure once more. Through the long shadowy time, her spirit is peaceful and patient, waiting for healing, waiting for consciousness.

When at last she wakes, she is conscious of a warm body lying next to her. Opening her eyes, she is met with the sleeping face of her hanyou, and her lips turn upward in a slight smile. Her throat is dry and at first she doesn't think she can speak, but after a moment she manages to say his name.

"Inuyasha..." She coughs with the effort, and wonders briefly how long she's been asleep. A white ear twitches at her voice, and suddenly amber eyes are open, meeting her chocolate brown orbs.

"Kagome." And then her eyebrows raise in shock as his lips are suddenly on hers, his arms holding her tight. Her eyes close briefly, and then he pulls away, embarrassed but smiling with relief. "You're awake."

She laughs a little, and then they both know she's going to be okay. She buries her head into his chest, breathing him in, so ridiculously happy that after everything, they've made it through.

"I'm okay," she says hoarsely, voice muffled by his haori. "You're okay. We're okay."

The next weeks are those of relief. Though being bedridden _again _is almost too much for Kagome to handle- she's tempted to bring Naraku back from the depths of hell so she can send him right back again in retribution- knowing that Inuyasha is hers, and hers alone, forever, is enough to have her crying with joy some nights.

Not everything is wrapped up so neatly, of course. The morning after she wakes up, an unexpected visitor comes to see Kagome.

"Satoru-san?" she says, startled at his sudden appearance inside the hut, and Inuyasha jerks to his feet, eyeing him curiously. She's gotten to know the man fairly well through her friendship with Aika, but she hadn't expected any visitors so soon. "What are you doing here?"

He looks up from studying the floor to meet her eyes, and she's confused by the expression of guilt that seems to consume his entire posture. "I- I came to..." his voice trails off, and he seems unable to continue for a moment. His hands hang limp at his sides, before coming up level with his chest, palms upturned, as if pleading with her. "I am so, so sorry for what I've done, Kagome-sama. I came to beg your forgiveness."

He bows from the waist, catching her off guard with his formal address. She's come to expect it from the villagers, who hold her in high esteem because of her miko status, but not from her best friend's husband. "But- but whatever for?" she asks, confused.

He meets her eyes once more, his gaze dark and troubled. "The demon... that beast... it- it possessed me... it _transformed _me. It was I who injured you so grievously... it was I who nearly killed you. And it was I whom you saw with that- that apparition, Inuyasha-san," he addresses the other man with another bow. "It came into our home in the middle of the night in the form of a spider and bit me, invading my mind..." A shudder runs through the man's solid frame, and he closes his eyes briefly, as if warding off an unpleasant memory. He opens them again, and Kagome sees nothing but sorrow and guilt in his dark eyes. "I kissed another woman who appeared as my wife... I nearly killed you. I do not know how you could ever possibly forgive me for that, but I came at least to see how you were and to offer my deepest apologies. Kagome-sama, you must know that I never intended to harm you. I was weak... I should have been able to rid myself of the demon. I don't think I will ever forgive myself."

Kagome waits impatiently for the man to finish speaking, bursting out with her objections the moment his lips close. "But that's just silly!" she exclaims, her eyebrows furrowed in concern. Satoru raises his eyes from the ground once more to stare incredulously into her warm brown gaze. "_None_ of this was your fault! No one could have expected you to get rid of Naraku on your own." She spits the youkai's name from her mouth like poison. "He was one of the strongest youkai I've ever encountered, and I doubt any of us would have been able to break his hold on our own." Her expression softens. "You have to believe me when I say that I'd never hold anything that happened against you. You're my friend, Satoru-kun. I know you'd never do anything on purpose." She smiles gently. "And I'm sure Aika-chan feels the same way."

He looks about to protest, but Inuyasha roughly cuts him off before he can say a word. "Keh! No buts. Didn't you hear her? She doesn't blame you and I agree with everything she said. Nobody expected you to take the bastard on your own. Don't be so hard on yourself."

In a strange way, the hanyou's gruff manner seems to have the most beneficial effect on the guilt-ridden man, as if his words have lifted a great weight from his shoulders. A smile lifts the corners of his mouth, and he bows again in their direction. "Arigato," he says with relief. "This is more than I expected, to be forgiven so easily. If there is ever anything you need, Kagome-chan," he hesitates slightly over the new suffix, answering her in kind, "do not hesitate to let me know. I will do anything to atone for the wrong I have done you- both of you."

He leaves shortly after, wishing her a speedy recovery and promising to be back with Aika later, and Kagome watches him go with mixed feelings of sorrow and peace. She hopes that the man will be able to forgive himself as well, soon.

As the days pass, Kagome also begins to worry about Inuyasha. Sometimes she catches her hanyou glancing at her out of the corner of his eye, expression dark and troubled. He seems almost fearful around her, and he doesn't open up to her as much as he used to. The night of the new moon comes and passes, and though it is usually his habit to spend it inside with her, this month he finds refuge in Goshinboku and she doesn't see him the whole of the day.

Finally, after nearly a month of this strange behavior, Kagome decides something needs to be done. The life-threatening wounds on her torso are nearly healed, only large scars remaining as reminder of her painful ordeal. She walks out into the summer night air, clad in her yukata, searching for her hanyou. He must have seen her from some treetop or roof nearby, for scarcely a minute passes before he is standing before her.

"What are you doing?" he asks, concerned. "Should you really be walking outside by yourself?"

She shrugs off his worry. "It's been weeks, Inuyasha, I'm nearly healed. I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself."

His eyes darken, and his face turns away. Too late, she realizes the error in her words. "Of course. Excuse me." But before he can walk away, she puts a hand on his shoulder.

"I was looking for you," she says, voice soft, and he turns back around, her hand dropping back to her side. "I wanted to talk to you."

"Keh," he grumbles. "About what?"

She takes his arm, and together they walk the short distance outside the village to the Goshinboku, where it feels as if everything between them will always return. Once there, she meets his gaze steadily, unafraid.

"I love you, Inuyasha. You know that, don't you?"

His head lowers, and his expression is that of one plagued by memories.

_"Oh, poor Inuyasha," she murmurs, but his keen ears catch every word. "Are you angry with me? I can't imagine why... after all, who could possibly truly love a hanyou?" _

"Feh." His ears lower, and Kagome's eyes grow sad.

"What's wrong, Inuyasha? Why are you being so distant?"

_"I needed more than you... were you really so stupid, Inuyasha? Did you truly expect that I wanted to be with you?" _

"I... I don't deserve you, Kagome," he finally mutters. "You don't deserve to be with a hanyou... you should be with someone better for you-"

He is cut off by the sensation of her lips on his. This kiss is different than most of their others- it's hungry, wanting more, and when she breaks away, her eyes are shining. His blood is heating up, wanting more of her. _All_ of her.

"I don't want someone better, Inuyasha. You are the best thing possible for me. It wouldn't matter if you were a full-blooded youkai or a regular human man, I would still love you with all my heart because of who you are. You, you bring out the best in me. _I love you. _Not anyone else. And if you break my heart over something as completely pointless as these, these insecurities, I will _never _forgive you." A wide smile breaks over her features. "So deal with it."

The trust and love he feels in his heart for this amazing young woman before him overwhelms him, and he has to kiss her again. His demon blood wakes, growling for satisfaction. _Mate, _it tells him, and he finds it difficult to remember why waiting to mark her as his is important.

They surface for air, and Kagome's cheeks are flushed, surprised and exhilarated by the passion she has exhibited. She can't stop smiling to save her life. "Nothing was able to break us apart," she murmurs. "I trust you, Inuyasha. I love you and I trust you and I'd give anything for you. Nothing will ever make me doubt you again."

She means this with every fiber of her being, and he doesn't have to say a word for her to know he feels the same way. Just a look is sufficient, and she is in his arms, embracing him, feeling his devotion in the beat of his heart.

Overhead, the slightest sliver of the moon is beginning to show again, the thin crescent lighting up the sky with a soft glow. The moonlight glints off Inuyasha's golden eyes as he pulls away from her. Kagome is confused at his actions at first, but is held captive by the depth of his gaze. She can't speak, can't make a sound, as the silence stops her voice and the night seems to be holding its breath.

"Kagome..." Inuyasha murmurs, his expression suddenly incredibly vulnerable to her eyes. "You can't imagine how important you are to me... how _incredible _it is to hear you say those things... and now I'm wondering..."

Though he doesn't move, his face is suddenly all Kagome can see as he says his next words, freezing her in place in surprise.

"Kagome... will you... will you please marry me?"

~/~/~

* * *

><p>Author's Note: I am so, so terribly sorry for how long it's been. My summer was incredibly busy up until August, what with getting ready for my trip to the UK, and then I had a new boyfriend to focus on, and then school started and about three months ago, the first boy I've ever loved broke my heart (pretty much ripped it up into tiny pieces), and all things considered, I haven't even felt like doing my (mountains of) homework, much less writing for my <em>romance<em> story on fanfiction. I can relate to the Kagome from the original series a lot better now, though... -_- Who knows, another story might come out of this mess.

I swear I meant to update months ago, but it just hasn't happened. I'm so sorry guys, I really hate keeping you waiting. I know I've probably lost a lot of readers by now. Sigh. Anyway, I hope you can forgive me, and will still continue to read and enjoy this story. There's only about four or five more chapters left. I hope to be able to update once more this month.

Returning readers, thank you so much for coming back for another chapter. I know it's been forever and I hope you haven't forgotten everything about this story.

****This story has now passed both the one year mark and the hundred review mark(: thank you guys for helping me get to this exciting point! I've also been writing for over a year now(: I really appreciate your feedback and support.****

Thanks to my reviewers of chapter thirteen:

Miko-sama

Elantina

Lionsheart13771

windbreaking

honechan7892

Inu-'SIT'-loveKag

Suikidoen

gabi

SilverStella

RANDOM FOX GRRL

Della (so sorry! .)

Dean Winchester's Play Thing

MalachiteFlames

Rory4 (you guys can thank them for this chapter, by the way- I wouldn't have gotten my butt in gear if not for their review:)

I hope you guys enjoyed. Please leave a review if you have the time(: let me know what I did right and wrong. I really use y'all's feedback.

-Lady E


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Fifteen <strong>

_"Kagome... will you... will you please marry me?" _

Inuyasha has considered this question carefully, beginning back at the time when they had been staying in the old miko's village and he began to learn the customs of the village people.

Marriage is not a custom of youkai, he knows that much. It is the ceremony of humans, of people. Youkai take mates. This much is in his instincts, even if his mother hadn't hinted at the idea when he was a child. However, he is not youkai. Nor is he human. He is some strange mixture of both, a hanyou; and although he is normally comfortable with himself, in this area the complexities of his identity are clear and undesirable to Inuyasha.

Throughout that time, the question had lurked in the hidden corners of his mind, but had never risen to the surface quite simply because it never had cause to. Worries of wives or mates were far from his mind. In his adolescent naivete, he had all the time in the world, and this sense of immortality kept him content and the matter silent.

However, time has the deceptive quality of appearing limitless and slow, when in fact it is just the opposite, and as the relationship between him and the young miko whom he traveled with evolved into something more tangible and real, the question forced its way to the surface, insistent and demanding serious consideration. Kagome was not going away, and eventually things would change as their relationship grew deeper.

Marry or mate?

The answer came to him one late night, laying next to Kagome as she slept and recovered from Naraku's wounds. It came in the form of his mother's voice, an early memory he had, one of the few from before Kagome arrived in their lives.

"_Mother, why do I have to be half and half?" His eyebrows formed a troubled v over worried golden eyes, creasing the smooth skin. "I'm not like you or like Father was. Everyone is scared of me. That's why we keep leaving right? Because I'm not one or the other?"_

_She had knelt on the ground in front of him, fixing his gaze in her own, placing both her hands on his shoulders. "Inuyasha. You are not half of anything. You are a full hanyou. Remember that. If you were anything different, you would not be the son that I love so much."_

"Not half of anything..." he had muttered quietly, looking at the quiet form of the woman he loved and tightening his hold on her waist. And so the answer appeared in his mind.

_Why not both?_

And so he had finally resolved to ask her as soon as the opportunity arrived.

All this had led to this one moment, standing nervously in the dark, holding his breath, waiting for her response.

**~/~/~**

Kagome stares up into his eyes with unguarded wonder.

"Will I... will I marry you?"

Her mind is spinning, amazed at this turn of events, and she has to take a step back. She'd never expected this, not in her wildest imaginings. She half expects to wake up any moment now from this senseless dream. But her hanyou still stands before her, just as serious as ever, now looking anxious because of her move away from him.

"Yes," he answers her, though she hadn't really been looking for a response. "Kagome, I want to be with you forever, and I want to do it right."

"But... but you're hanyou..." His eyes darken at these words, and she rushes to explain herself. "I mean, don't youkai have different customs than humans? Would you... would you even want to ma-"

Inuyasha cuts her off abruptly with two fingers against her lips. She blinks in surprise at the movement, and tries to protest, but Inuyasha brings his face close to hers, until their eyes are mere centimeters apart. His are focused and serious, whereas hers are wide and curious.

"Kagome. I want to marry you." Behind his words, there are the memories of years spent together, building what they have now. His tone is not one to be argued with. So she doesn't. Her words are soft and full of unspoken affection as she places her lips to his ear, curving in a smile.

"Yes."

He takes her in his arms again, and they stand there in the silence for a moment, reveling in the feel of each other, in this hopeful foreshadowing of their future.

**~/~/~**

"_Did you see that woman and her child?"_

"_Where is the husband?"_

"It has dog ears, for the love of the kami! Where do you

think_ the husband is?"_

"_She has brought nothing but misfortune on this village!"_

"_My daughter has had nothing but nightmares ever since they arrived here! It's the fault of the demon spawn!"_

"_We must be rid of the human whore and her half-breed bastard child!"_

_The angry voices reach Inuyasha's ears from his place hidden just inside the door of their hut. His amber eyes peer out cautiously, taking note of the small cluster of people a ways down the street. Normal ears would have caught nothing- but, as the villagers have so indelicately put it, his are not normal ears. _

_A hand on his shoulder startles him, and he whirls around to look up in to the smiling eyes of his mother. "What are you looking at, Inuyasha? It's dinnertime."_

_The small boy jumps up in excitement and immediately forgets about all of the things he's just heard, hurrying to help his mother get the food ready. _

Inuyasha is jolted from his memories by a light hand on his shoulder. He rises and turns away from the window he's been staring through.

"What are you looking at, Inuyasha? It's time to eat." Kagome's smile breaks his concentration for a moment, but her words ring familiar in his mind.

"Keh. Nothing," he dismisses, turning to help her. But inside, his thoughts swirl around like the winds of a monsoon, worrying and second-guessing.

_What am I doing?_

The people of the village would never accept a priestess married to a half-demon. They would be cast out. In his distress he manages to forget about all the appreciation and acceptance he has received as protector of the community and can only remember what he has known all his life- estrangement. Hate. Prejudice. And any child of his would be subject to the same treatment.

How could he do this to Kagome? To an innocent son or daughter?

His fingers clench the bowl in his hands as he thinks on all this, threatening to crack it as his grip tightens. _How can I be so selfish?_

Abruptly the dish is torn from his grasp, and he looks startled into narrowed brown eyes as Kagome sets it down on the table firmly.

"What's going on in that thick skull of yours?" she demands, rising from her seat on the floor and putting her hands on her hips. "Tell me why you're worried so I can tell you you shouldn't be. Come on. Spill."

His golden eyes meet hers, and he sees the fire and determination in them. He thinks that he couldn't bear seeing that fire die in the face of years of rejection and persecution. "I love you," he says quietly without thinking, those three words that are always so hard for him to say coming out spontaneously as he dreads a future without her.

Her eyes soften, and she moves to sit beside him. She takes his unwilling hand. "I love you too. So tell me, Inuyasha."

He hates revealing his doubts and vulnerabilities to her, because it makes him feel so _weak _and he always needs to be strong, needs to care for her and protect her, and how can he guard her if he can't even guard his own feelings? But without his permission all his thoughts come spilling out of his mouth, all the insecurities and fears, and by the time he is through he is ashamed of how good it feels to tell her everything.

"I can't do that to you, Kagome."

She sits a moment in silence, looking long and hard at him, and he waits for her to agree with him, eyes dropping to the floor.

They jerk up again at the impact of her palm hitting his shoulder, _hard. _

"Don't you _ever _think like that again, you _idiot_!" And she proceeds to rant about how stupid he is to think that she would ever want a future where he wasn't in it, about how everyone in the village is lucky to have him around and they know it, about how all the bigots can (and here she uses language that makes even him blush) if they don't like a miko and a hanyou together, and how can he even _think _about leaving her-

The tirade goes on for several minutes, Kagome's words punctuated with violent waving of her hands and the occasional expletive. A smile is growing on his face the entire time, unnoticed by the enraged miko, as he wonders at how easily she can assuage his doubts. She finally finishes with an exasperated cry of "How could you ever believe _any _of that?"

And then her lips are rather too busy to yell.

After he pulls away, Inuyasha grins at her. "Keh, crazy wench. What would I do without you?"

Breathlessly, she grins back. "Let's not find out."

**~/~/~**

Kagome feels the butterflies begin again in the pit of her stomach as Aika adjusts her hair once more, smoothing her kimono and arranging it so that it falls just right. "I can't believe I'm doing this," she says, laughing nervously as she gently touches the small red and white flowers in her hair. "I can't believe I'm finally getting married. To _Inuyasha_."

Aika slaps her hands away from her hair and smiles. "Enjoy today, Kagome-chan. You deserve it."

A giddy smile slips onto her face. "Thanks Aika-chan."

Aika laughs at her expression. "Come on, let's get this ceremony over with before you go crazy."

The two women exit the hut where Kagome had been preparing, and walked down the long steps to the forest below.

The wedding would be held beneath the sacred tree, a place dear to both their hearts. At first, Masuyo-sama, who would be presiding over the ceremony, had protested, insisting that the temple was more traditional and suitable for a marriage. But, as Kagome reasoned with the venerable miko, "What about marrying us is traditional in the first place?" Masuyo had to concede her point, having already agreed to marry not only a priestess, but to marry that priestess to a half-demon.

Satoru meets them at the base of the stairs to join his wife. Aika takes his hand, smiling gaily, and the three of them walk through the trees to the site of the ceremony.

She catches sight of the villagers that had shown up to witness the wedding before she sees anything. They are gathered around the edges, and she sees not a few expressions of disapproval and scandal. She sighs a little, but true to what she's spent the last month telling Inuyasha, she refuses to let the prejudices of ignorant people dampen her spirits, and holds her head high. It seems as though nearly the entire village is in attendance, and this makes her both happy and nervous.

And then she meets Inuyasha's eyes, standing with Masuyo-sama at the base of Goshinboku, and her face breaks into a wide smile. She walks at a measured pace to her husband-to-be, though it's a struggle not to run, and he takes her hands in his, golden eyes staring deeply into hers. He is wearing his same red hakama and haori as always, having refused any other option, but now she matches, having found Izayoi's beautiful red marriage kimono in the things she still kept from her adopted mother.

_I wish you could be here, _she thinks, the faces of all her family coming to mind, biological and surrogate, that had since passed away. _I wish you all could be here._

As vows are exchanged and promises made, however, Kagome feels a sense of contentment and peace. She has Inuyasha, and her family will always be close in her heart. They both take turns drinking sake from a small bowl, and the ceremony is complete. All the people applaud, even those who might have protested this very unconventional union between their beloved miko and a hanyou, everyone sensing the love and devotion in the air. These two will be happy- no one doubts that. And for this, the applause and congratulations flow freely.

Before returning to the village, Inuyasha catches Kagome's hand and leads her to the old well for a few moments, sneaking away from the crowd. "I feel like we should offer thanks," he tells her, walking to the edge and laying a hand on the weathered wood. "After all, it's responsible for bringing us together." And so they both lay their hands on the strange well, spending a few minutes in silence and gratitude, before he sweeps her off her feet and runs to catch up with the rest of the wedding party.

The rest of the day is spent in humble celebrations, eating and giving thanks for the happiness the kami has seen fit to bestow on the couple. Kagome had never before known how many of the villagers were genuinely happy to see her marry her love, and it touches her heart how many of them come up to offer their thanks and congratulations.

At last, at sunset, everyone begins to depart for their own houses and say their goodbyes. Kagome and Inuyasha are able to finally return to their home and speak in private.

"Today- today has been the most amazing day of my life," the miko begins, smiling up at her hanyou, winding her hands around his neck. "It means so much to me that you asked me to marry you... I know it's not normally something youkai do."

He grins. "But I'm not youkai, am I? I'm hanyou. And you are human. So really, doesn't a human wedding make sense? Keh, you need to use your brain more, Kagome." She laughs and moves to kiss him.

He holds her back, turning serious as her expression turns questioning. "What is it?"

"There is something that I need to ask you, before... before we go any further." She blushes at his implication, and so does he, his face turning red as he continues roughly. "Keh... do you know what 'mate' means to a youkai?"

She shakes her head, having never had the term fully explained to her by Izayoi or any of her mentors. "I assume it's like the demon form of marriage, right?"

He nods. "But much more binding, and powerful. You have to understand- inu-youkai, we mate for life. There is no such thing as 'divorce'. Once I... once I mark you, that's it. Any other youkai we come across will know immediately you belong to me. There is no going back." His golden eyes leave her brown ones abruptly, as though afraid of what he will find in their expression.

"Are you questioning my commitment?" He makes no reply, still looking away, and she sighs. "Inuyasha, get it through your thick skull. I love you, _only _you, forever. And that's never going to change." She giggled as his ears perk up. "So... when you say _mark _me..."

He gives her a grin in response, exposing his fangs. She gasps.

"No way. You don't mean..."

"I do," he answers, gazing with desire at the place where her pulse beats in her neck. Her hand rises to cover it, seeing where his eyes are looking.

"Well, do it now, I suppose," she says, holding her breath and shutting her eyes in anticipation of pain to come. He gently takes her hand instead, and her eyes open once more in confusion. He almost looks amused.

"Not now," he tells her, trying to make her understand without words, his face reddening again as his eyes fall to the ground. "It hurts less if... if I do it... _later..." _

Her eyes widen in understanding, and she laughs again. "Well, where's the sense in postponing?" she says archly, teasing, and he laughs along with her. She closes her eyes- his laugh is one of the most amazing sounds she's ever heard, even after all the years she's lived.

She moves back, away from him, to sit on their futon. His eyes hold hers, his head cocked to the side, confused. Until she slides the beautiful red kimono off her shoulders and lets it slip gently down to her waist, and his eyes are no longer fixed on her face.

As she drifts off to sleep that night, his arms around her, the moonlight gently illuminates their exposed skin, the blanket draped carelessly around them. Two matching crescent marks mar the skin of her neck, red and healing, a mark of their eternal love. The scene is content and peaceful. All is right at last.

In a hut not too far away from that of the newly married couple, a husband and his wife also sleep soundly, a baby growing in the belly of the woman. She restlessly tosses and turns, uncomfortable with the child in her womb.

The infant unborn inside her mother stretches her limbs, unseen by the sleeping, ignorant world around her. Her tiny heartbeat drums on strongly, each thud inside her delicate ribcage representing another moment closer to the time when she will leave her safe shelter and enter into a wider, colder unknown.

~/~/~

Life, Inuyasha thinks, can't get much better than this.

Waking up to the gentle light of the dawn, holding his sleeping mate and wife in his arms, he feels a deep contentment and peace that he is unused to. Their bond is stronger than anything he's felt in all of his many years, symbolized first by the promises made at the ceremony and then cemented by the double crescent marks marring the smooth, pale skin of Kagome's neck.

_Mine. Finally._

He must have spoken the words out loud, because they wake the sleeping woman next to him, her deep brown eyes opening slowly. She yawns and snuggles closer into him while his fingers trace circles on her bare shoulder. He hears a muffled "good morning" from where her face is pressed into his chest, and grins.

"Lazy wench, it's time to get up," he teases her. She looks up at him with positively _smoldering_ dark eyes and raises her eyebrows. Inuyasha catches her mood immediately.

"Not until I say so."

They receive no visitors that day, and Kagome never can find a good enough reason to leave their bed.

Slowly but surely, the next month passes, both of them resting in the relief of finally being together, not having to hold anything back anymore. Inuyasha reflects one night that they have finally come full circle, returning to the childhood home they now share as mates.

But there are still unanswered questions. He can feel Kagome's frustration in her tense muscles as she sleeps, often clutching the Shikon no Tama tightly in her fist, as if afraid someone will come and steal it now that it has been released from her body. Often he catches her staring at it as she does things like cooking or sweeping their home, eyes fixated on the luminous pink orb, trying to solve the mystery. She convinces Masuyo-sama to fashion a necklace for the precious jewel so that she is able to wear it on her as she does her everyday duties, unwilling to leave it unguarded.

He knows that with the emergence of the Shikon, questions that she's had about her origins since she was small are again raised with a new force. She wakes him up in the night once with tears slipping down her face, having had a dream of her birth mother. "She was burning..." she whispers in quiet horror, and all he can do is hold her and wonder along with her.

He had found her in a well nearly two centuries ago, and it feels as if a part of them will always be stuck there in the past until the mystery is solved.

However, there are more immediate issues for the miko to worry about than that of the sacred jewel and how its fate is intertwined with hers. (More immediate, Inuyasha thinks, but not necessarily more important.) As the weeks go by, Kagome spends an increasing amount of time with Aika as the women prepare for the imminent birth of a new child. Not only do clothes need to be made for the new son or daughter, but Aika's condition renders ordinary household chores difficult and cumbersome. Kagome helps with everything, and though Inuyasha rather wishes that she could spend so much time with him as well, he appreciates that her hours aiding the young woman are well-spent.

Aika is due to give birth in less than a month, and the few times that Inuyasha comes along with Kagome to see her, there's something about the young woman that draws his eyes to her almost involuntarily. Maybe it's the fact that her brown eyes have always looked much too similar to Kagome's, but when he looks at the girl all he can see are visions of his own mate, round with _their _child.

Sometimes he catches Kagome watching her with an expression that makes him suspect he's not the only one fantasizing.

_My own pup..._

The thought is at once terrifying and tantalizing.

His responsibility. His joy. His to protect, to teach. To love.

The hanyou can't quite wrap his brain around the idea, for so long having assumed that the possibility of a family was for him not a possibility at all. And so he mostly tries not to think about it. After all, it's not even an issue yet.

Right?

He's too busy to be thinking about pups right now anyway. Now that the Shikon jewel has been removed from Kagome's body, it seems as though every youkai in the surrounding area, big and small, has been alerted to its presence. There is some sort of youkai attack nearly every other day, and though Inuyasha would only call a few of the fights truly challenging, they definitely keep him occupied. And spending so much time protecting the people of the village helps with much of the remaining prejudice and resentment towards him.

He's headed home one afternoon when the pain-filled cry of a woman reaches his ears.

Immediately he breaks into a run, his only thought a vague hope that it wasn't Kagome who was hurt. His first instinct is to find her. Following his nose, he arrives at Satoru and Aika's home.

Bursting through the door in a panic, the sight that meets his eyes is one long anticipated. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what's happened. Kagome, along with a few other women and Masuyo-sama, are busily taking care of a distressed Aika, who is in the center of all the commotion on her futon. Her hair is pulled away from her face, which is red and shining with sweat, her features strained as she lets out another cry of pain. The hanyou has around two seconds to take all this in before Kagome catches sight of him and hurries over, shoving him bodily out the door. Her hair is falling out of a braid and her features are furrowed with concern.

"I love you, but you have to stay outside," she tells him quickly, not needing to explain why. He knows childbirth is not something he can help with. "Her water broke an hour or so ago."

"Good luck," he tells her. "I'll be waiting out here. Where'd Satoru go?"

She sighs. "Masuyo-sama advised him to keep his distance... he was having trouble listening to her."

He nods in understanding. She quickly turns to go back inside, but before she does, she pauses and meets his eyes again. "Inuyasha... the baby wasn't supposed to be due for another two weeks."

His breath catches, and he offers a small mental prayer for the girl in the other room. Early babies could cause unforeseen problems. He hopes that Aika is strong enough to handle the challenge.

"Go, help her," he tells his mate, and she nods before disappearing back inside. He sucks in a breath and then swiftly makes his way onto the roof, settling down for hours of listening and waiting.

He knows this is only the beginning.

~/~/~

**Interlude II**

_The old well was timeless. __It had seen many things, and had been present for many hundreds of years. However, nothing had ever_ _pleased it so much as seeing the hanyou and miko together, no matter how they came to meet. There was a special and timeless quality to their love that fed the well and tied it to them in a sort of kinship. _

_It watched as the young miko was nurtured by Izayoi and began in camaraderie with the hanyou child. It watched as their mother aged and passed, and as the two grew into adolescence and strengthened their bond. It watched as they matured into more than the best of friends and became additionally the most ardent of lovers. _

_But the old well also watched as the infant grew in the belly of her mother, and sensed the foreboding in the beat of her heart. It knew that this was the flaw in the otherwise perfect plan. And the well knew that if it had a heart that could break, that heart would be in pieces for the miko and hanyou. Theirs was not an easy path to walk. It never had been, and it never would be._

_The well had done the best it could with the interference of the fire in the young girl's life. When it had seen her,__ frightened and sad, running towards the dwelling that housed it, it knew what it had to do. It knew where the girl had to go... or rather, __when. _

_The miko had been ready. The well could only hope that she would be ready again, as the twisted threads of her story came unraveling quickly towards their end._

_And it would all begin with the pained cry of a young mother in labor._

* * *

><p>Disclaimer II: I am not personally familiar with Shinto wedding customs during the feudal era... or Shinto wedding customs at all, really. I did my best to research, but please forgive any misunderstandings. No offense was intended. In order to make the least mistakes possible I decided to make use of the advice "less is more". Also take into account that Inuyasha and Kagome are not necessarily a conventional couple for their time, so it stands to reason that their wedding would be a little less than traditional.<p>

Author's Note: Thank you for being so patient for this update. I know it took much too long. I hope you enjoyed all the same. I would really appreciate some feedback if you'd leave even a line or two in a review for me; I really do take into account any and all advice y'all have. I hope your summer has been fantastic and relaxing and I'll see you all at the next update. Which hopefully won't take this long again. (: I do my best.

Only a few chapters to go guys!  
><em>Lady E<em>


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